


Madou Monogatari: Uchū Jigoku

by JelliPuddi



Category: Madou Monogatari, Puyo Puyo
Genre: Blood and Gore, F/M, I'm just tagging it only now so no one gets upset, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-20 15:57:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 91,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10665981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JelliPuddi/pseuds/JelliPuddi
Summary: With Arle, Schezo, and many others out of the picture, only a handful are around to look after the world they had lived in. Monsters become more rampant than before, villagers live in fear, and old enemies return to life. Things take a sharp turn all of the sudden, when a cult declares they will put an end to it. (Updates once every two weeks)





	1. Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> This is a pretty dark story I wanted to work on, heavily inspired by the PC-98 Madou games, and Goku Madou Monogatari, a fan-game. So don't be surprised if you don't like some of the turns this story takes. D:
> 
> I should also clarify that in this fan-fic, the Sega Saturn Madou game isn't canon. There's a reason for that, but I thought I would make it known now. There's also looooots of headcanons, considering I'm working with dome material that doesn't have much background to it.
> 
> Unnamed characters for the most part (the exception of a minor merchant) are given names here too. If I make any grammar goofs, let me know, I try my best to look things over, but sometimes mess up.

**** Desolate.

More and more familiar faces began to fade from the world. The blue armored heroine, the dark wizard, even the fighting queen. The nameless world soon became quiet, and defenseless. 

At first, this was seen as a good thing for beasts. Vampires could roam the night, doppelgängers took the place of their counterparts, villages could be ravaged, people could have been killed…

Not as many Puyo battles like there were before, just vicious fights that could not be won by those who did not know how to defend themselves, or didn’t have any offerings to certain beasts. Even then, sometimes a creature was not satisfied by just those, or wouldn’t give people a chance to escape, even when they were pleased.

Such an example was in the town near Mokemoe Labyrinth. A popular pharmacy was there, having stood in that town for over a hundred years, selling many kinds of medicines. The young man working there though, had found himself cornered, sweat rolling down his face and his blood running cold. He made the poor choice of working late hours in his pharmacy, just to prepare a medicine for a customer the next morning. 

Before him stood a girl, one who had been wandering around the town all day with who the man assumed to be her grandfather. They had been wearing cloaks, and mostly sat in the shade all day. A foul odor often came from them, which warded others off, until they made their move overnight to the store.

That girl wasn’t a human child. No, it was a _Wight_. Rotting skin that was peeling off, wearing a torn blue dress, and having unkempt gray hair. The young man held his nose, unable to stand the horrible stench of decay that was almost burning his nostrils. That elder character, which he believed to be the girl’s grandfather, was in fact a horrible, humanoid monster of some kind.  

Wearing a tattered green robe, etched with gold, the monster’s skin was horribly decayed, and his hair just being a few violet strands. Along with this strangely, was a golden circlet on his head, and disgusting tentacles came out of the lower half of his body.

“I beg of you,” the man gagged, “let me live, please… This is my family’s pharmacy, and I have no one to pass this tradition onto. I’ll give you anything you want, just don’t take my life!” His fear was one that the tentacled beast found amusing, while the Wight remained oblivious to what the man was saying.

Smirking, the humanoid monstrosity showed his broken, messy teeth. There were stains of blood on them, a chunk of flesh or something stuck between a pair of teeth as well. The merchant wanted to throw up, both the sight and smell were overwhelming to him. “If you must know, dear boy,” the monster spoke, “my child here needs some medicine to keep nasty parasites away. It can be a pain you know, keeping worms out of the flesh all the time.” He then chuckled, towering over the man cornered by some shelves. “If she keeps walking around with them eating holes in her, well, she’ll fall apart eventually. We don’t want that sort of thing happening, do we?”

The man swallowed hard, feeling his eyes well up from the air, being unable to breathe in it. He turned around, knowing that the large humanoid kept a sharp eye on him, so there was no point in reaching for any chemical, lethal or otherwise, that would allow him to get away. It was safer to just give these beasts what they wanted. Taking out a whole case of vials, the man carefully handed it over to the Wight, hoping she wouldn’t drop them. 

If she did that, then he would have been done for. Thankfully, she held onto them with the strength of any human. He wanted to sigh in relief, but wasn’t sure if he should let his guard down. “Child, what do you say to this man?” The monster said, glancing down at the Wight.

“Th… thank yooough.” She groaned, making the merchant wince just a bit. He felt a mix of disgust and depression upon looking at this girl. The fact that one could be turned into such a hideous creature at a young age made the merchant have a boiling hatred for this monster standing near her.

“Oh yes, that’s right,” the monstrosity chuckled, “there’s one more thing we need, sorry to trouble you. We’ll be on our way right after!” 

“A-and what would that—”

 

The merchant didn’t even get to finish his question.

Filthy fingernails scratched his throat, leaving a deep gash. The merchant gasped, wanting to scream as he touched his neck. He could not only feel blood pouring, but one of his own veins, torn out by the monster. 

_No…  _

Not when there was so much he wanted to do. He wanted to get married, start a family, pass on the job of working to his child— a tradition which had gone for over a hundred years— he wanted to grow old and die happy, much like his predecessors.

He wanted to cry out, and curse at this abomination, _damn him_ , damn him to—

“I do apologize for this, considering your hard work. But you see, my child needs to drain your life.” The monster explained, showing a wicked smile. “You probably wouldn’t have agreed to that, and considering her size, it’s easy for prey to escape. I thought I would just help her get a decent meal. Don’t worry, the pain will go away soon enough, and you’ll see things her way.”

The merchant wanted to fight back, but the Wight put the case down, and began biting his arm. She chewed through the flesh, sucking on the veins like a vampire. 

See things her way? Whatever did such nonsense mean!?

See things her way… _her way…_

Actually, come to think of it, the merchant could understand it. A small, frail girl like her needed energy to go on. He watched as his arms, legs, and body became thinner. It was no fun to starve, and he could understand it.

He closed his eyes, forgetting about his family tradition, what he had lived for. The merchant laid there, being nothing but decayed skin and bone. The Wight looked pleased with her meal, walking over to the case of vials, only for the taller monster to pick them up for her. They soon began to leave the dried body behind.

“Yes, he’ll soon understand how hard it is for you, child… especially once he awakens.”

* * *

“Hello?” 

The older woman with long, silver hair and a rather young face entered the pharmacy. She darted her eyes around to see if the young man was in. He had promised to work on a medicine for her husband, yet it seemed he was nowhere in sight.

There was a bottle on the counter, no doubt the medicine she had requested, and it looked nearly finished as well. Notes containing ingredients were there, all checked off, indicating that the only thing left was for the drug to be put into multiple vials.

But then… why did the man leave his post? Was it something urgent? The older woman called out to him, only to get no answer. She continued peeking around the shop, as rude as it was, she was worried about the youth. What could he had left the pharmacy for, and at a time like this? Not to mention, something smelled rather foul, like decay and… blood was it? Now the woman was starting to worry. What exactly had taken place here? It was making her uneasy.

She glanced behind the counter, and finally saw it in the corner of the pharmacy. Several vials had been knocked over, the contents spilled on the floor. Along with it, was blood, smeared all over the place. It was a horrid sight, one that gave the woman some rather… terrible memories. Ones that were best left to not be reminded of on the spot, unless she wished to start panicking.  

Surely, there had to be a reasonable explanation for all of this. Perhaps a rather aggressive customer came in with wounds? Supplies were knocked over in shock or some kind of argument, and now the young man probably took this customer somewhere else. That or he went to gather materials to replace the destroyed medicine.

Only problem was, the placement of the blood, made the woman deduce that a violent incident occurred _behind_ the counter, not across it.

“Monster!” A man screamed at the top of his lungs. Preparing her staff, the woman rushed outside of the pharmacy to see the commotion.

To her horror, she saw the answer to all her questions, staggering around like a zombie, trying to attack a woman and her child, who were attempting to get away. No longer was the man in charge of the pharmacy there, but instead, stood a shell of his former self, transformed into a Wight. No doubt, the poor youth had been attacked by an undead creature overnight.

The worst part about this was, it seemed there was no way to reverse this, considering the gash on his neck and the bite taken out of his left arm. He had lost too much blood, and there was no way she could simply cure that with magic. 

Pointing her staff upwards at the creature, it looked at the woman with empty eyes. “Meteor Shower!” She shouted, hoping everyone else would stay clear of her spell. The former merchantgroaned at the woman, before he was struck with a series of flaming meteorites, which tore at his clothes and flesh. This combined with all of the chemicals he had most likely knocked over and spilled on himself, led to the undead being catching on fire.

He screamed in pain as his whole body ignited, gasping for his remaining life which was slipping away. Reaching for the woman, his arms soon collapsed, followed by the rest of his body crumbling apart. With each passing second, his flesh became charred, and his bones were crackling. The woman could only just watch, making sure that the beast wouldn’t live from this. 

Each minute was dreadful, and yet, it wasn’t the first time the woman had to do something like this. For over sixty years, she had kept danger away, without having the peaceful methods that some others use. It was unfortunate, but sometimes, there wasn’t any better option. 

With her magic, she disposed of the flames, leaving only a pile of ash where the undead creature once was. The whole area was silent, the only thing that could be heard was a child crying. At the very least, the woman could probably prepare a decent funeral for the young merchant, and bring back the medicine for her husband. 

“To think that this town is more easily endangered,” a man spoke, “even after all these years, you look after this place, Wish… thank you.”

* * *

It had been two months, yet Wish’s granddaughter hadn’t returned. Neither did her friend with the white hair, or many others once mentioned to Wish, who she had seen. Returning to the small, brick house, the woman was greeted by an older man with a long, grey beard, wearing a dark cloak around his body.

He smiled upon seeing her, and it was enough to improve Wish’s mood by a small amount. It had been over forty years since they married, and never faltered from each other. This elderly man was a “Mud Master”, as one would call it. A highly uncommon practice for certain magicians, who could take mud or clay, and shape it into anything. They could even give it life to a doll made of mud, if they so wished.

They met in a circle, where many types of magicians would gather and show off their power. He introduced himself as Clayton, many peers agreed that it was a fitting name. The two fancied each other, and after five years of building their relationship, Clayton worked up the courage to ask for her hand in marriage. It was one of the most joyous moments in Wish’s life, the other being when she gave birth to a beautiful daughter.

“Wish,” he spoke, but before he could finish his sentence, Wish held up a small bag containing a vial. The moment she did this however, there was a change of expression. It was for only a split second, yet Clayton managed to see it. “What is troubling you? You are usually optimistic, even with your granddaughter not here. Has something happened?” He asked with great concern.

She saw no point in hiding the truth from Clayton. Wish sat down in a creaky, wooden chair, and sighed. “That boy,” she murmured, “he had been working on the medicine overnight, and he was attacked by a Wight it seems. When I went into town, there was a violent mess in the pharmacy, and… then I saw him roaming outside.” 

There was a pause between the two of them. Clayton could only assume the worst, considering the sort of risks Wish took, just to keep that town safe. “I had to end his life.” She tried to hold back her tears, knowing that crying would do nothing but make her husband worry. Wish recalled a time, when she was only ten years of age, she had gotten a bad rash from some plants in a nearby forest. She needed a cure, since at the time, she did not have magic capable of healing herself. Wish entered the pharmacy, meeting a kind, older man, who gave her exactly what she wanted. 

That was the young merchant’s great-grandfather. Wish had befriended his son, and now, she had killed the youth of their family, after years of being familiar with them. The more Wish thought about it, the heavier the guilt became. A gentle hand touched her shoulders, one that had always tried to comfort her in such times.

“You were not at fault, Wish.” Clayton said, hoping to soothe his grieving wife. “That boy could not be saved. Whoever turned him into such a beast, is the one to blame.” 

“Wights,” Wish replied, “they cannot help it, they have to feed. It’s their instinct. I cannot blame them, when it was my fault for making that boy work overnight.”

Clayton wasn’t sure how to respond. He now felt it was partly his fault for requesting that medicine, especially when it wasn’t an emergency. Though, something in his gut told him it was a form of foul play, not just a hungry, undead creature.

Hopefully, their granddaughter would return from wherever she went, and their grandson would stop being so pessimistic.

* * *

Wizard didn’t understand it. His sister, Witch, had suddenly left, and both of his grandparents were certain that she would be back safely. Sure, it was like Witch at times to wander off, just to confront her rival in magic usage, but it just didn’t make any sense at all for her to not return after two whole months. At this rate, even if he didn’t cut corners like he usually did with his progress, Wizard would be ahead of his sister on the road to becoming the best magic user there was.

His sister not being there bothered him. He had no competition, besides in the Magician’s Village, which was full of humans that the Wizard had stolen experience from. Nowadays, he was often chased out before he had the chance, so it wasn’t like he could make a good rival over there. Instead, he was stuck wandering about, detecting any possible power from potential victims he could ambush.

He had gotten bad luck today, nothing was in this town of value. It looked as if some vampires had came into this place more than anything, considering the spilled bulbs of garlic in one place, and a pile of ash in the other. The only thing missing from this picture were pieces of silver, the Wizard could only assume that these humans were too greedy to throw their precious metals at monsters, even if it meant their lives, they probably wouldn’t dare damage them in any way.

It was getting pretty ridiculous. Some species of monsters probably had a higher population than humans at this rate. Maybe he should be like his grandmother, and try to ward some of them off in order to gain respect. If Wizard did that, then it would be an also way to get another massive shortcut at becoming the greatest. 

Not a bad idea at all, actually. Wizard could probably pull that off right now, he just had to find some people being terrorized by vampires or ghosts. Smirking, he ran through the village, hoping to find a cry for help, or maybe even some suspicious antics. It was cloudy out, not a beam of sunlight to be seen, which a few beasts could take advantage of.

The sound of chanting echoed from afar, as Wizard passed a wooden shack of some sort. It definitely sounded fishy, something you would hear from the demons of Lyla’s Ruins. Passing the shack, Wizard made his way to a small cavern at the end of the village, stepping in several rain puddles which soaked his boots. He didn’t know what to expect from all of this— besides demons— but certainly not what he was about to witness.

Chanting and singing, there were several humans gathered in a circle. Their murmurs were impossible to comprehend, and gave Wizard a headache. He almost wanted to leave, but he just had to interrupt and play hero for once. 

“Excuse me,” Wizard called out, making the hooded figures raise their heads. “What is all of this now? Some kind of devilish ritual? This village has enough threats as it is, with vampires running around.” He then gave a cocky smile, raising his staff. “It would be bad if you were plotting something rather vile, because a great, heroic magician like myself just happened to be passing by.” He was so full of himself, and he wasn’t even aware of it. Wizard knew he wasn’t exactly a good guy, but in such a scenario where there were worse threats? He had the guts to call himself that. 

“Ah, no, I believe you misunderstand.” The leader of this strange cult got up, and stared at Wizard, not revealing his face to the boy. “All here refer to me as ‘Brother F’, of the Deep Circle. We worship the Outer Gods, to come help us in a time of need. We are well aware of threats such as vampires, specters, and various other cretins… we are pleading, that the Great Old Ones will aid us!” 

The other cultists chanted in agreement, which made Wizard hold his head in pain. Great Old Ones? Outer Gods? Deep Circle? Sounded pretty ridiculous to him. “O, the wondrous Yog, he shall answer my prayers.” The cult leader said, lowering his head once more. “He knows and sees all, but keeps himself away. I have pleased him, and in turn, gifted me the knowledge of many secrets to this world.”

Rolling his eyes at the cult leader, Wizard had a feeling that this wasn’t anything major after all. It was just some religious freak, hoping some nonexistent deity would come save them. “Yeah, sure thing gramps,” Wizard sneered, “when you guys need real help to come though, I’ll be near, ready for—” 

“Help from a selfish sorcerer will not be necessary, my boy.” The cult leader cut him short, clearly aware of Wizard’s intents. Wizard shuddered, wanting to launch a lightning bolt at the man, but knew it would reflect badly on him, no doubt.

Did this man have some sort of power? Probably not one worth taking, with all of that knowledge mumbo-jumbo. Wizard only craved power, and as he ran away from the cave, he hoped to find some other method of reaching his goal, to become the best there was.

* * *

Lala was never the best at learning magic. She always struggled, and once was held back for a short period of time. She wasn’t like Arle, who had disappeared recently, or Camus, who was almost an enigma ever since kindergarten. The Magician’s Village was boring without either of them, and Lala was hating her teenage life because of how dull it was.

Every now and then, Lala would trace back to Miss Fae, the kindergarten teacher that Lala and Arle had known growing up. Fae was a kind woman, with long green hair. She had aged a bit around the eyes perhaps, but she was still the same, caring teacher she always was. Unlike director Barbara of the Magic Kindergarten, who retired sometime after Arle graduated. Either it was because she was tired of putting up with the youth, or maybe the current headmaster let her go, due to how bitter Barbara was. 

At one point, Barbara was the headmaster, but an unnamed incident led to her being replaced by someone younger looking. That would end up being Headmaster Juju, who Arle and Lala were most familiar with. Most didn’t want to admit it, since it was a weird thing to say about the headmaster, but… he was quite handsome, and Lala had known some girls that actually had a crush on him. Not that they could be blamed, his soft voice and wavy purple locks made it easy for anyone to find him attractive. It was a miracle that the guy wasn’t married yet, more than anything. 

Lala longed for all of those good times, and constantly hoped Camus would drop by to come see her. He probably graduated from the Magic Academy by now, and moved on, but she kept hoping. Every time she asked Miss Fae about him, Fae said she wasn’t sure and that she hadn’t heard a thing from anyone. That made sense, she was a kindergartener teacher, and a not a high school one, but Lala believed that Camus should have paid her a visit at least, since Fae was his teacher too.

Fae herself, didn’t understand how Lala held onto her childhood crush after all of these years. Lala was infatuated by Camus the moment he revealed himself. Cool and calm, and Lala chased him around like a giant hornet going after their prey… maybe not the best example, but Lala did have a temper at times. 

“I’m not any good with balanced sorcery like Arle was.” Lala groaned, dragging her fingers in circles on the wooden desk she sat at. “The teachers are like ‘if you aren’t becoming a pyromancer, then why are you focusing so much on fire?’ But then the moment I focus on lightning or ice spells, I feel as if I become less skilled with fire.” She then closed her notes in frustration, turning her head to the kindergarten teacher. “I don’t want to control fire, and only fire… Did you have this problem, Miss Fae?” Lala asked her, hoping to get some advice from someone who had been using magic longer than her. 

“With what I wanted to do? Not exactly, I chose a subject that was different at your age.” Fae replied, smiling at her former student. She knew that Lala wasn’t gifted by fairies with her magic powers like Arle, nor did she take the tower exam, so it was understandable that mastering magic power was more difficult for Lala. “Since being a pyromancer is off the table for you, have you considered cryomancy, for ice instead?” Fae watched Lala shake her head, as she started putting her sheets back into a small notebook. 

“No, it’s… not my style to work with just a single elemental and go with it.” Holding her head down, Lala sighed in frustration. “But if I don’t master anything soon, I’m going to be held back again for failing.”

Understanding her anger, Fae nodded slowly and got up. “That just means you’re like me then,” she said in a comforting tone, “I didn’t want to learn plain elements either, which is why I said I took different subject completely.” She put a hand on Lala’s shoulder, who lifted her head, feeling a little better upon learning this. “Do you mind if I recommend studying the power illusions, perhaps? There’s various alternatives when mastering a kind of magic, but this was something that I enjoyed.” 

She perked up, watching Fae walk over to a dusty drawer and open it up. As Fae took a rather old-looking book out, Lala’s face began beaming. “I’d love that!” Lala cheered, opening her small notebook again, and flipping open to a blank page. “Is it okay if, um, you help me get familiar with it first though? If you aren’t busy that is!”

It wasn’t really any trouble at all for Fae, if anything, it made her nostalgic. Half of it being because she was teaching Lala again in some way, the other half being some memories that had been buried away.

* * *

Even though it took most of the evening to set Lala up for learning the subject of illusions, Fae felt happy knowing that she could pass her knowledge on to another student. It was something she had wanted to do for a long time, but it wasn’t very common for anyone to want to learn about illusions. 

Locking the school building doors and making her way back to her house in the Magician’s Village, Fae’s moment of ease soon faded, the moment she got off of the path to the school, and saw a father and his daughter looking mournful, speaking to another man. The father didn’t look like a local, neither did the child, but Fae had seen the other man before in town. The girl seemed as if she was crying, breaking Fae’s heart quite a bit. It made her a tad curious, although it wasn’t her business at all, so she kept walking. 

Well, at least, she was walking, until something caught her eye. A man— at least she assumed it was a man— in a hood, approaching the three individuals, followed by other figures wearing the same kind of brown cloak. Fae stopped in her tracks, glancing at all of them, actually becoming a bit worried now. “My dear friends, what has you filled with sorrow?” The lead figure spoke, kneeling down to the girl’s height. “You are mourning… over a loved one, it seems?”

Rather surprised he knew that, the father gasped. “Yes,” he answered, “that’s correct… my little girl, her mother was just taken away by those horrible vampires. She told us to flee to the Magician’s Village, where it may be safer, and my daughter could learn magic to defend herself, perhaps.”  

The hooded man then offered some small flower to the girl, having five white petals, and strawberries attached to them. “There is no need to rely on sorcery anymore, it is not enough to protect you from these beasts. Consider us, the Deep Circle. For we are gifted with knowledge, thanks to the Outer Gods I devote my life to.” The girl didn’t understand, but began to smile at his gentle voice, and the free snack, plucking off the strawberries. 

“Brother F,” one figure spoke to the leader, “are we not all more than capable of disposing the vampiric threats ourselves? The Great Old Ones shall send their allies to protect us, no doubt, and families such as this one would no longer be terrorized.” The hooded man nodded in agreement, proudly going along with the suggestion. 

“That is very true, my brother. Fret not, friends, we shall avenge your loss, and rid of the vampires, in the name of the Great Old Ones!” The father and daughter were amazed to hear this, as was their friend, but Fae just seemed oddly skeptical. 

Taking on vampires with some kind of cult-like power? And belittling the use of magic in the process? It was a bit insulting, but Fae didn’t want to judge them based on that alone. If a group such as theirs could really stop the vampires from taking anymore victims. Fae had been staring so long, that she didn’t realize that Brother F had noticed her presence.  

“My dear lady, has our word caught your interest?” Approaching her, Fae seemed unnerved at first by the cult leader, until a gloved hand offered her some flowers with small strawberries, no different than the ones presented to the young girl. “Do you wish to join our cause in the Deep Circle? The Great Old Ones accept all who were born human. It would be something worth giving up the teaching of magic for.” 

She winced and drew back, amazed that he could tell that Fae was a magician, much less, a teacher. “How did you know that I am a magician?” Fae asked, a little creeped out as Brother F started to chuckle at her. 

“Apologies, I can’t help but find your reaction to be a little amusing. As I had said, I am gifted with knowledge… but even then,” Brother F pointed at the circlet on Fae’s head, “I would be able to tell due to the ornament you wear. It is an accessory worn by staff of magic schools, is it not?” He continued chuckling, as Fae placed a hand on her golden circlet. She had to admit, she was a little embarrassed that she had forgotten all about it, and a stranger had to remind her it was there.

Trying to smile, Fae regained her composure. “I see. Well, I’m sorry, I was only just curious as to what this was all about. It was rude of me to listen in, and unfortunately, I don’t plan to throw away what I’ve worked hard for.” Bowing to the cult leader, she handed the strawberries back to him. “I don’t deserve this sort of gift, so you can take it back if I annoyed you.”

“Oh, not at all, my dear.” Brother F held up his hands, not taking the flowers back from her. “You can keep what I have given you, the Great Old Ones find you worthy to keep such a token, as it may bring you wonderful luck.”  

Fae couldn’t help but find it odd that she couldn’t see even a portion of his face. It was as if he didn’t want the world to look at him, or something along those lines, and preferred to keep it hidden in the dark. “Well,” Fae said, giving a warm smile, “I bid you a good night. Good luck on your quest to stop the vampires.” After that, she resumed returning to her home.

“Farewell to you too, madam, we expect you to come visit us again!” Brother F called out, preparing to leave with his cult. The little girl waved goodbye, and her father felt happy to know that justice would be served to the horrible vampires.

The Count, would get what was coming to him. Not at the hands of a fighting queen, but of an unusual cult.


	2. Vampire Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brother F moves on to the Vampire's Castle, hoping to dispose of Count Adonis with his cult… but before that can happen, just who in the world has taken the place of Arle while she was gone?

Taking the place of a heroine was tough, especially when you weren’t the most morally correct sort of character. Doppelgänger Arle, using magic to disguise the color of her outfit, and changing her red-violet eyes to a golden color, managed to replicate Arle Nadja's appearance. In terms of personality however, her rather cruel demeanor was shown off more. Most wondered if Arle had become more irritable than she was before, since a childish demon had suddenly replaced Satan. 

That wasn’t to say the original Arle wasn’t full of snarky remarks to begin with, but Doppelgänger Arle was… notably more amused by how mean she could be, and was more open to trashing others. A few were rather concerned about the “heroine” because of this. No one had any idea, that a doppelgänger had taken her place, and that the real Arle wasn’t around. The only thing that these fools were aware of, was the fact that Schezo, Rulue, and a few others had gone missing.

As for Carbuncle, well, Doppelgänger Arle didn’t have to look that hard for a replacement. Devil, the turquoise-haired demon standing before the doppelgänger, struck a deal with her. He would offer her a “Fakebuncle”, and all she had to do was glue a red stone on its head. Presto, instant Carbuncle clone. No one could tell the difference.  

There was a price to this, as Devil was often bored. With Satan out of the picture, Devil took it upon himself to take over Lyla’s Ruins. Every monster in that labyrinth was now under his command. Although, some were actually out of his control, and refused to follow his orders. Once in a while, Devil would stir up an incident, much like Satan did, and he told Doppelgänger Arle that it was her job to try and stop him. It was the kind of relationship that the real Arle and Satan had, minus the obsession of wanting to get married, and getting Carbuncle back. Because of that, Devil was either viewed as childish, or somehow, more villainous than Satan. 

Covered in the colorful blobs, Devil tried to pull himself out of the Puyo, as a crowd watched on. “Curse you, Arle Nadja!” Devil spat, rubbing the jewel on his forehead, making sure it was still intact. “I’ll get you for this, you will rue the day you decided to cross me!” All the doppelgänger could do was yawn at his predictable little speech, not impressed at all.

“Go bother someone else, you reckless delinquent. I’m not here to babysit, I’m afraid.” Doppelgänger Arle said, watching as Devil went from faking, to becoming actually irritated. “Your mother will probably start to worry, won’t she? Especially if it gets dark out, there’s all sorts of—”

“Shut up, shut up!” Devil shouted back at her, spreading his wings. “I’m going to be the strongest demon ever, and become the new Prince of Puyo Hell. Once that happens, you won’t be making fun of me anymore!” Not wanting to hear any further taunts from the doppelgänger— the one he made a deal with at that— Devil flew away, back to Lyla’s Ruins, most likely to start coming up with a new plot.

Many cheered at Doppelgänger Arle’s victory, not knowing it wasn’t the real deal, as usual. Momomo tried offering sake to her, but Doppelgänger Arle declined, and a skeleton snatched up the drink instead. As she was walking away, the drinking skeleton began stumbling after her and Fakebuncle. “Hey, Arle!” He called out to her in a slurred speech, grabbing the doppelgänger’s attention. 

Turning around, Doppelgänger Arle noticed that he was clearly drunk, and was downing the sake bottle like it was nothing… on top of that, it was literally going right through him. “Y’know, it’s good timing that I caught up with ya. Have you—” he hiccuped in the middle of his sentence, “seen my brother anywhere? Neither me, nor Mummy have seen ‘im in a couple of months. We thought you might have an idea.” 

Firstly, Doppelgänger Arle had no idea that this drunkard had a brother. He often loitered around, and didn’t ever try playing any Puyo. When she thought about it, Doppelgänger Arle recalled a skeleton similar to him, except he only drank tea, and did get involved with Puyo… though he was incredibly pathetic at it, since the doppelgänger had witnessed him facing off against someone once. “The tea-drinking skeleton, you mean?” Doppelgänger Arle asked. 

The drunk skeleton nodded repeatedly in response. “Yup, that’s him, Skeleton-T said he wanted to become stronger, so he went to Satan for help. I know, ridiculous, but my bro told me that he might have more power in numbers, and would beat you if he cloned himself.” The drunkard laughed, trying to retain balance by holding onto Doppelgänger Arle’s shoulder, only to be instant pushed away.

“Why don’t you ask Satan then? Or Devil?” Doppelgänger Arle suggested to him. She really didn’t want to put up with this sort of nonsense right now.

“I ain’t goin’ up to them,” the skeleton hiccuped once more, “I don’t even know where they live. Besides, unless I’m sober, I’ll get lost!”

“Not my problem.” Doppelgänger Arle snapped back, petting Fakebuncle. “I don’t bother with sad, hopeless weaklings such as him anyway. Satan probably tried to smite him for such a ridiculous request, and left his bones in Lyla. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking.” 

The skeleton, while completely wasted, still felt like he was punched in the gut when Doppelgänger Arle had said that just now. His jolly character actually broke right there, staring blankly at the doppelgänger. “What?” He slowly became a bit angry now, to hear something like that come out of whom he believed to be Arle. “Whaddya talkin’ about? You’ve battled him in the past, and even though he’s not the best, he—” The skeleton then saw that she was walking away from him, not regretting what she had said in the slightest. “He’s my brother! You don’t go callin’ him things like that, you…!”

Shaking the bottle of sake in his hands at her, the skeleton gave up, chugged the rest of its contents down, and then tried to throw it in Doppelgänger Arle’s direction. Cursing to himself, he stumbled away, now wanting to find out where Lyla’s Ruins were. It wasn’t something Arle would ever say, but it wasn’t like he was lucid enough to notice. 

* * *

The doppelgänger returned to Arle’s house, exhausted. She had taken it for herself, and made a few homey touches of her own. Thankfully, the changes weren’t too drastic, in case anyone decided to visit her. Fakebuncle hopped onto the couch, making himself comfortable, looking adorable in the process. Doppelgänger Arle couldn’t help but pet him. Even if Fakebuncle was a force to be reckoned with, he was just too cute.

“To finally be take the place of the real version of Arle, and live in this world— in her life— it's far too satisfying.” Doppelgänger Arle giggled to herself, rubbing Fakebuncle’s tummy, which growled loudly. “Looks like I should feed you, shouldn’t I? After all, you yourself must live in the shoes of her pet, your job is just as difficult as mine.” Moving over to the kitchen, she couldn’t help but be proud of herself. The doppelgänger had finally succeeded, and it didn’t require of disposing of Arle herself. It was like a dream come true.

Was she dreaming this whole thing? She often wanted to pinch herself just to make sure, but even then, it wasn’t like Doppelgänger Arle wanted this to end. That’s what she told herself, until a rather dreadful scent snapped her out of it. It was as if she left some meat out, and it had become rotten. Looking at her kitchen counter, Doppelgänger Arle didn’t see anything left in the open. If anything, the area looked as if it hadn’t gotten any sunlight.

Doppelgänger approached the window to open the blinds, but as she did so, the stench got stronger. The walls almost looked as if they were melting, and chills went up her spine. “No…” she quietly said to herself. She was dreaming after all? Was she waking up? Or was this turning into a nightmare? Doppelgänger Arle looked at her hands, then around the kitchen, rapidly turning her head in several directions.

This felt so horribly familiar. She wanted to wake up, but then she would lose this life, a chance the doppelgänger would never have again! Everything, even Fakebuncle, would go away, the moment she opened her eyes. It wasn’t something Doppelgänger Arle could throw out, she had to face whatever this was turning into. Nothing was going to ruin her perfect dream, even if it meant she would never wake up from it. 

Casting a dark, fiery spell in her hands, she looked around what used to be a kitchen, now resembling some sort of nightmarish realm. She was Arle Nadja now, and not just some doppelgänger. As such, she should act like Arle, and go against whatever threat stood in her way, even if it wasn’t real. “Try to take me out of this world, and you shall be turned to a crisp!” Doppelgänger Arle’s threats went unheard, it seemed, as no one responded to her.

She stepped away from the window, and continued lighting the disgustingly, distorted area with her flames. Doppelgänger Arle felt the smell get stronger, like a decayed corpse was right behind her.

_ … _

Doppelgänger Arle realized it, but before she could turn around, the doppelgänger felt something lift her by her sides. She began kicking, and screaming. “Let me go!” No longer casting the fiery spell, she knew exactly what kind of threat this was. A dangerous, horrifying individual, one who was laughing at her expense. 

Yet despite all of this, it was not someone that would harm her, as the kitchen slowly changed back to normal. This wasn’t a dream, nor a nightmare, thankfully. It was all just a cruel prank, one that the doppelgänger had been tricked by, many times before. “My, it’s been years, hasn’t it? You took her place after all, just like you told me when you ran away from home.” Putting her back down onto the ground, Doppelgänger Arle got a good look at the culprit. 

Tattered green robe, decayed skin, tentacles, violet strands of hair. Her old tutor, as expected. “You never change, do you Fudoushi?” Doppelgänger Arle sighed in annoyance, leaning against the kitchen counter. She was relieved that it was only him, but at the same time, she wished that the humanoid monster didn’t find her at all. “Why are you here, and how did you even find me?”

“Oh, you know, just wanted to catch up with you.” The beast, Fudoushi, kept chuckling in a lighthearted manner. “I assume my little birds, Mamono and Cockatrice have been doing well, ever since I let them go free. Behemoth keeps wondering when you’ll come back at times, Warle—”

“Don’t call me that, _ever_.” Doppelgänger Arle interrupted, giving him a stern look. “You know I hate that name, and I’ve abandoned it long ago. I have become Arle herself now, no long am I some doppelgänger. You should know that well, and refer to me as such.” Fudoushi wasn’t intimidated at all by her, but found himself changing the subject regardless, just to respect the doppelgänger’s wishes.  

Doppelgänger Arle noticed the blood on Fudoushi’s filthy fingernails, but chose not to comment about it for now. She had known Fudoushi since the day she was born, from a mirror. Not exactly a pleasant encounter, as the doppelgänger had made her way to the top of the tower, and was frightened by Fudoushi’s illusions.  

She was a crying mess when he found her. Feeling a little bad since she was just a doppelgänger, and not someone trying to finish him off, Fudoushi made funny faces— which were more terrifying than anything— then tried to calm Doppelgänger Arle down by teaching her some new magic. Some of that included the power to cast chaotic versions of her original sorcery, and creating illusions. Such an ability was helpful, especially with disguising herself as the real Arle.

“I see you’ve put use to my teachings,” Fudoushi said, noting Doppelgänger Arle’s change of armor and eye color. “Last I heard from Hanzo, he said that you were masquerading as a clown.” Smiling in a manner that seemed sincere, rather than evil, Fudoushi began patting her on the head, much to the doppelgänger's disgust . “I was getting worried, so I shrunk myself down, lurked about, and saw someone facing the brat who tried to take control of my body. Knew right away it was you, from your mannerisms alone!”

This clearly meant that she wasn’t Arle-like enough, if someone such as Fudoushi could see through her disguise. It was definitely something she had to work on if that was true. Fudoushi walked out of the kitchen, using his tentacles to move about and heading towards Fakebuncle so he could pet him. “You managed to swipe this creature too.” Upon taking a closer look at the resting Fakebuncle, who didn’t even stir, Fudoushi saw that the jewel in his head wasn’t genuine. “Or you found someone just like you, it seems. If that’s the case, it’s rather poetic actually.” Pulling his dirty hands away, Doppelgänger Arle hoped that Fudoushi didn’t give Fakebuncle any diseases. 

“He was given to me by the one you refer to as a brat. He and I, we struck a deal.” Fudoushi visibly flinched when Doppelgänger Arle mentioned that, becoming almost protective now. “I became Arle, and he would be a rival. We constantly foil each other. In exchange, he gave me—”

“Struck a deal? With a devil?” Fudoushi questioned, towering over Doppelgänger Arle. He had done this before, often in attempts to talk the doppelgänger out of certain antics when she was a child. “You really trust his words? That sort of thing will come bite you later on. He’s nothing but trouble, that boy. I would know, considering he once tried to take my body for a boost of power.” There were many things Fudoushi wanted to complain about regarding Devil, particularly, how Satan should have kept a better leash on his underlings. Especially since Fudoushi himself kept his own minions in check, so they knew that he was their superior.

This could only be viewed as hypocritical to Doppelgänger Arle though. “Really now? Coming from the one who has actual blood on his hands?” Checkmate. That was all Doppelgänger Arle could think, as Fudoushi looked at his dirty hands, a bit embarrassed he didn’t wash them now. “I can tell you must have been busy retaining your old habits. Ones that led to several undead creatures and parasites being infested in our old home, as I recall. It was so bad, you ended up attracting animals who were feeding off chunks of meat… from those you had killed.”

Throwing down his hands in defeat, Fudoushi shrugged. “Well,” he mumbled, “the Wight girl had to eat, I can’t let them starve. Prey is hard for the small ones to catch, so I figured, while getting some medicine, I would help get them a meal. Can’t yell at me for being considerate.” Doppelgänger Arle would refute that last part, considering how uncaring he was towards nearly all humans, but it was pointless.

“Either way,” Doppelgänger Arle continued, “you’re not my father, and you can’t tell me what to do, now that I’m grown up. I’m living the life I’ve always wanted to, and if that Devil does try to double cross me, I can easily beat him.” Something about that blunt statement pleased Fudoushi quite a lot. Doppelgänger Arle wasn’t easy to push around, and he probably was worrying over nothing.

On the other hand though, the first part of what she said brought back some memories. Ones that were making him laugh. “I’m not, but I remember, years ago,” he started, Doppelgänger Arle felt her eyes start to widen. “Back when you were such a troublemaker, and tired yourself out—” 

“Don’t, please—”

“I can’t remember what you were doing, I think tormenting Cockatrice!”

“Please Fudoushi, don’t—” 

“You called me ‘dad’, didn’t you?” He began laughing harder, holding his gut. “I thought it was the most bizarre— but adorable— thing ever! A horrible monster like me? Your father? I had viewed myself as your tutor, really. My horrendous, black heart couldn’t help but be touched by that!” Now Fudoushi was howling with laughter, not taking note of Doppelgänger Arle, whose face had turned bright red.

The worst part about that story? Fudoushi had told his minions about it. Mizuchi Woman and Behemoth— a water dragon and a powerful beast, both with human features— had varying reactions. Mizuchi Woman couldn’t stop laughing about it, while Behemoth wondered if that meant she was Doppelgänger Arle’s “mother”. One of the worst days of the doppelgänger’s life. Thankfully at least, the stupid ninja was too cowardly to laugh about it.

“Can you please leave now, Doppelgänger Arle grumbled, “before I decide to torch you?” 

* * *

It had gotten lonely at the Vampire’s Castle. Sure, even with the many victims claimed, the Count of the castle; Adonis, couldn’t not find the same thrill he did years ago. Quite a dilemma, this was, to have no entertainment. “What shall we do with this one, Count Adonis?” The tall, bald butler asked the Count, his attention on a woman with black hair.

The fear in her eyes was intense, one that Count Adonis always enjoyed seeing. He slowly walked up to the woman, who was being held by a vampire with long, blonde hair, and a man with silver hair, having a horn protruding out of his head. Pushing the woman’s hair aside, the Count picked up a scent around her neck. So much life and blood would be so terrible to waste. Spilled everywhere carelessly, or maybe becoming not as fresh with age. 

No… no, it wasn’t good enough, and Adonis could tell. She had lost an amount, she was unclean. This woman, wasn’t pure for his tastes. He scoffed, backing away and staring at other vampires close by. So unworthy of his attention, this woman didn’t deserve a comfortable, loving end to her life by his hands. “Do what you will to her,” he said, “I have no use of used goods. Especially those who had already given birth.”

The two underlings tossed the woman aside, who was too terrified beyond words at what would happen. A group of vampires snarled at her, jumping at her with a hungry look. She screamed as they began biting at her neck, wrists, wherever else was a good source of blood as they sucked her body dry. 

The Count had a specific craving, and that was virgin blood. It was his favorite above all, and most vampires with a patrician’s taste would agree with him. “That woman had a child, a young girl I believe.” The blonde-haired vampire spoke, recalling their attack on the villagers. “Should we take her away, the next time we see her? That may be more to your liking.” Count Adonis sat back in his throne, having a tired look in his eyes.

“Let her grow first.” He answered with a sigh. “Such blood should be contained in a larger vessel. Humans are much like fruits, you see. They must be perfect before they can be harvested. Too soon, and it’s not filling enough. Too late, and they become all rotten. Some may not care about such a matter, but I prefer perfection.”

Gently, Adonis began stroking the mane of a black mare that laid next to his throne with one hand. Holding out his other hand, a woman with blue hair, wearing a bunny costume came over with a dish, giving the Count a wine glass which contained a red liquid. He preferred virgin blood fresh from the source, but sometimes, old-fashioned blood from past victims was also a delicacy. It made him feel nostalgic. 

The mare lying next to him seemed very relaxed in the presence of its master. Its mane and tail had a bright, fiery color to them, indicating it was a beast much like those around it. “Perhaps next time, I should send you out to cause some terrors for those who slumber.” Adonis suggested, while the horse made a pleased noise.

The horse was known as a Nightmare. It caused horrible dreams for those who slept by roaming about. If one were awake, then witnessed the horse running across the fields with its black body and fiery mane, they would have dreadful dreams that very evening. For such reasons, Count Adonis kept some of these beasts for his own. They were magnificent to him, and much like himself, terrorized those who were in a deep slumber. Those sort of qualities could also be found in incubi and succubi, but the Count thought of them as nothing more than nymphomaniacs. 

No, Adonis’ lust was one for a single person. Even with the blood he had taken from several virgin women, there was one that managed to escape. Indeed, she who had fought him with her bare hands. Once she had defeated him, this woman proceeded to step on him like he was nothing, and was carried away in the arms of the Dark Prince; Satan. 

Every single time Adonis thought about it, there were two emotions. An intense, burning passion and respect for the one who escaped by herself. Yet, there was also an anger. The fact that one woman was strong enough to not only get away, but beat him and his fellow vampires, made him furious. Even worse, she had fallen in love with Satan instead, rather than accepting any of his offers. It didn’t make sense to him either, since aside from that one time, Satan rarely paid any attention to that wench! Instead, he would chase after that sorceress in the blue armor, or fawn over that stupid pet— 

“Count Adonis,” the butler called out his name, forcing him to snap out of it. “Are you feeling alright? You broke your glass. Shall I get some bandages for you?” At first, the Count didn’t understand what his butler was talking about, until he looked back over to his left hand. 

Glass shards were all over the floor, and some were actually stuck in his skin. Several cuts were on his hand, as blood was smeared on the inside of his palm. His fingers had also gotten tangled in the mane of the Nightmare, who gave a concerned look to its master. This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened, and really, the only thing that annoyed Adonis about it was how the contents of his drink were now spilled near him.  

“Sorry, I should not be wasting such things. Yes, it would be preferable if I had bandages right now, along with some tweezers perhaps.” Getting up from his throne, he tried taking the bits of glass out on his own, refusing to let the woman in the bunny costume help. “Marée, go help Sebastian. I don’t want him getting lost like he has before.” 

With a drunken nod, the woman in the bunny costume stumbled away. She was a Water Element, a spirit formed from an elemental. She wasn’t the only one of her kind, as there was an elemental of fire as well, but Marée was more popular, despite the fact she mainly was under the services of Adonis. She was social, cheery, a bit tipsy at times, and flirty. Most did not even know she wasn’t human at first glance, since there were no unusual features about her. Anyone could easily confuse her for a cute girl seen at the bar every night. 

Her friendly nature made it puzzling for others. Some couldn’t figure out why she was hanging out with someone like the Count and his horde of vampires. No one knew that she often blended in, so she could direct the vampires to potential victims.  

As for Sebastian, the old man was actually a lunatic, as hard as it was to believe. He had once been in an asylum, for believing that drinking the blood from living creatures while they were still moving, was the source to becoming stronger. Some had witnessed him feeding upon insects, rats, live chickens, and then eventually tried to go after a young woman. Upon failing to do so, he was considered insane. The Count overheard this story once, and found it amusing. Amusing enough to break the madman out of his cell, and hire him, so he could get a fair share of living creatures to consume.

But of course, time went by, and Sebastian wasn’t as strong as he used to be. Instead, he was becoming more senile, and had been easily pushed aside a few times. Sebastian wasn’t as funny to Adonis anymore, just sad and pathetic now with his delusions. It was definitely time to put someone else under his services, and right now, Marée was seeming like a good candidate, along with possibly Daemon, the horned servant. 

* * *

Marée stumbled, while Sebastian kept saying nonsense to himself. Even though she wasn’t always sober, she had a pretty good sense of direction. Much like ocean waves, which always managed to make their way towards the shore. “I think he left bandages in his room, didn’t he?” She asked, noticing that Sebastian was going in a different direction.  

In truth, Sebastian didn’t want to listen to Mareé or fetch the bandages. If not for the fact she was following him, he would have finally left this accursed castle, or try to overthrow his master so he could drink his blood. If he had the blood of the head vampire, Sebastian knew he could feel as young as ever. He would be free of the shackles on him, and—

His body began twitching, demons were flying before his very eyes. Truly, he had lost any shred of sanity, if he was being confronted by his inner demons. 

That is what Sebastian thought at least, until he heard Marée start to panic. “Intruders!” She gasped, at first prepared to hold them off, until she realized their numbers. Sebastian had no clue as to what was happening, but he could only think of what sort of blood these demons had. Would they make him stronger?  

He couldn’t even process what was occurring as a hooded figure began shouting at the top of his lungs. “A human, amongst all the murderous beasts!” The figure snapped. To Sebastian, he looked like some sort of cult leader. He probably had seen these sorts of characters years ago, back in the asylum, but all of the old butler’s memories were rather fuzzy. “He who spends enough time amongst the wretched, is no different than one of them!” 

Sebastian didn't even understand what that meant either, more focused on the demons flying near the cult leader. “Night-gaunts, punish this human who gave up his mind to be amongst such lowly creatures. Show him the way, of your kind!” The demons began beating their wings, yet didn’t make a sound, as they flew towards Sebastian.

Slick, smooth skin, horns curving inwards, and having no facial features at all. They were skinny humanoids, preparing to whip their barbed tails against the old man. Just as they began though, Sebastian’s age and health had caught up with him. There was a shock throughout his body, and his breath shortened, a painful feeling stabbing his chest.

He was suffering a heart attack. The forms before him were too much to behold, as his vulnerable body was whipped by barbed tails. Within just a minute, Sebastian’s plan to live as a powerful man, were nothing but a forgotten memory. 

* * *

As Count Adonis waited for his wounds to be treated, Marée ran back to his throne room, her sudden entrance startling everyone. “Marée, what is wrong? Where is Sebastian?” The Count asked, watching the Water Element breathe in and out for air. Marée tried to speak up, but it was too difficult to even say a single word due to how exhausted she was, just from trying to reach her superiors in time. 

“Count Adonis,” Marée panted, “there are…” she leaned against the wall, Daemon holding onto her so wouldn’t fall over. “Intruders in your castle, and they have an army of some sort!” She wasn’t able to say much more than that, mainly how she left Sebastian behind, and how the intruders looked as if they were cultists of some kind. Though, Count Adonis didn’t exactly care about his old butler. If he had fallen to intruders, it actually made things a bit faster. Either he would have done Sebastian in, or waited for his old age to get him. 

It was very tempting to make some dark jokes about how Daemon could get a head start on becoming the Count’s new butler, but it was probably not the best moment to do so, due to the intruders. “At a time like this?” Adonis questioned. “Really, what sort of threat are the fools that dare step foot into my castle?” With no other options and knowing he didn’t want any wounds open during a possible fight, Adonis removed the bow tie around his neck.

Carefully wrapping it around his left hand, making sure not a single cut was uncovered, he started to smirk. “Let them come to me,” he said, “I could use the entertainment, and my fellow vampires could use some fresh blood.” The Nightmare rose from its resting spot with a snort, waiting for its master’s command. Count Adonis could not do any combat on horseback, sadly, he had only rode the Nightmare for the purposes of showing off to terrified victims. It was also effective for quick travel, as he found transforming into a bat was rather degrading.

“Head of the vampires,” a voice called out to him. A hooded figure entered the throne room, surrounded by colleagues in similar garb. “The Deep Circle will let your horrendous crimes against this world go on no further. Tonight, is the night you shall perish at the hands of those who are superior. I, Brother F, shall make sure you suffer for all that you have done!” 

The rambling of this man amused Count Adonis. So much, that he actually couldn’t help but start laughing at the little cult standing before him and his kind. “Yes, because little freaks such as yourself stand a chance against vampires?” Adonis slowly inhaled, tasting the air, hoping to get a whiff of their blood from afar. He was both disappointed, and confused when he felt a rather foul taste come from them. “What exactly are you? Your taste is an unusual one, for mortal men.”

Brother F stepped aside, only feeling the need to answer the first question that Adonis had asked. “My brothers need to merely put their faith in the Night-gaunts, they who shall strike without showing a shred of emotion, so you do not know what they are thinking.” Once he was finished talking, the faceless demons flew in without a sound, immediately striking Marée across the face. A horrible scar was made, but she could only bleed water, true to the elemental that she was. 

Several vampires jumped to the flying, faceless demons. Sinking their teeth into the demons’ neck, they were all met with a horrid taste which burnt their tongues. Count Adonis could not stand the sight of seeing his underlings be torn apart by these demons. One vampire was bludgeoned over the head by a tail, the insides of his scalp showing as his hair was peeled away by the barbs.

Even the Nightmare, who tried to run over the demons, was not able to predict its demise. It began to whinny in pain as hordes of the demons began tearing it apart. Count Adonis couldnot witness such a horrible thing be done to his steed, and turned away, only to meet one of these horrible devils face-to-face.  

He studied the lack of expression, how it didn’t laugh at the predicament, not even a simple smile was on its face. Count Adonis clawed at the demon with his sharp nails, but the skin was too slippery, like that of a whale. He was prepared for a fight, but not with such monsters that had a heavy advantage. Daemon was no longer around it seemed, and now, Count Adonis was alone. Marée, Sebastian, the Nightmare, other vampires… there was no one that could save him, but himself. 

“What kind of hideous devils are these?” Count Andonis asked, gritting his teeth and clenching his left hand. “Who did you made a deal with, in order to control such monstrosities!?” He watched as some of the cult leaders began pounding wooden stakes into the vampires that had fallen, dropping bits of silver and garlic on them as well, just to make sure they would die for good. All of the vampires gasped in pain, wishing they would be put out of their misery by sunlight instead— something no one would wish for, normally.

“Devils? Monstrosities?” Brother F repeated in a questioning matter, stepping towards the Count with a wooden stake. “They are those who will rid of the inferior monsters that infect this world. Do not refer to them as mere devils. They are Night-gaunts.” He stepped closer to Count Adonis, as a Night-gaunt held the vampire in a tight grip. “You cannot take the easy way out of this, I am afraid. Accept this fate, and join your family!” Brother F shouted, driving the piece of white oak into the Count’s chest, not hesitating for even a second to do so.

Count Adonis screamed in pain, feeling splinters go through his flesh and organs. Brother F actually had to pull it out, and shove the stake inside again, just so he could make sure the white oak made contact with the Count’s heart. Spitting up blood, and stammering, Count Adonis tried to find a comfort in all of this. He was being done in by a cult. Not a hunter, not the woman who escaped him…

_Rulue…  _

The fact he wasn’t going to see his beautiful enemy’s face again… 

For the first time in hundreds of years, a tear began dripping down the Count’s face. This demise was so sudden, and he never got to do all of the things he wanted. 

Alas, his long life of being a vampire, had come to a sudden end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh, I'm sorry if people don't like the way I wrote Sebastian (the Count's nameless servant from ARS). I based him off of Renfield, from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Had to make some reason for there to be a human amongst the vampire residence, so I figured, why not base it off of a classic? 
> 
> Yeah, I gave the Count, Demon Servant, and Water Element names too. There's probably more than one of the latter two anyway… 
> 
> And, uh, it's actually a headcanon I sorta have that Warle (from the Mega Drive Madou Game) becomes the Doppelganger Arle in Puyo~n. I think a few other people actually share that theory, actually… It's also a headcanon of mine that Fudoushi acts like an embarrassing dad around her, because it's just too funny. We needed something lighthearted for a moment. :P
> 
> Also sorry if people expected cool fight scenes, they're not the focus of this fan-fic, I'm afraid. It's more about a dark lore being built around the Madou world.


	3. Ikuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brother F and the Deep Circle are praised as heroes, memories return as a dark mage awakens once more, and Fae finds something rather concerning…

They paraded around, carrying the head of Count Adonis, proclaiming that not a single vampire was left behind. Brother F and the Deep Circle had done exactly as they had promised. Some crowds were horrified, but others felt that they were in the Deep Circle’s debt, grateful that the vampire attacks would come to an end. Brother F began tossing out flowers, hoping that people amongst the crowds would catch them, declaring that those who did would be blessed.

Before long, news began to spread from village to village. Some were overcome with a desire to learn the ways of the Deep Circle, just so they could defend themselves. It seemed rather intimidating, but Brother F welcomed newcomers with open arms. He may have been violent, and his hooded appearance made it easy to be put off by him, but many had claimed he was selfless.

Even Miss Fae was surprised and impressed when someone informed her of the Count’s demise. She had no intention of joining a cult, or giving up on the magic she had learned, but she had gained a great amount of respect for the Deep Circle. In truth, Fae wasn’t fond of violent methods, but knew very well that at times, there wasn’t any other option due to how malicious some monsters really were. Mortal men taking on a horde of vampires with the power of their beliefs was something unheard of before, so Fae made sure to consider them as an option if something was urgent.

The only thing kept secret, was the Night-gaunts. Brother F knew that such magnificent creatures were not ready for the rest of the world. And considering how the old butler was not able to comprehend what he was seeing, his heart giving in to pure shock, Brother F assumed that in the very same way, humanity would not be ready for the Night-gaunts either. Some preparations would have to be made, no doubt, just they could all coexist together.

“Mister F?” The small girl called out to him, accompanied by her father. “Did you see my mother with those nasty vampires? Please, tell me what happened, I need to know the truth!” She begged. Brother F seemed hesitant, and glanced at her father, unsure if he should really be telling this sort of thing to a child. His lack of objections told Brother F that he was alright with this being spoken of, but Brother F had to make sure.

“Brother F, if you please.” He corrected the girl, kneeling down to her level, and keeping a safe enough distance so she would not see his face. “Are you sure with knowing such a tragic truth? The reality is often difficult to grasp, I have said this many times to those not involved with the Deep Circle, since curiosity of what we see and know drives them mad.” The young girl listened, somewhat understanding what Brother F meant. She slowly nodded her head, allowing Brother F to continue. “Your mother had her life drained by those horrible bloodsuckers. Had we arrived sooner, and we could have saved her. She was turned to their ranks, so we had no choice… but to cleanse her with the white oak. 

“She will not be returning as you once knew her, or as a vampire.” Brother F watched as the girl started to tear up, her heart crumbling with each passing second. “I am truly sorry, but had we not executed her, then surely, she would be trying to take you away. If more precious lives had been removed from this world, then I would feel as if I had failed.” Offering her a handkerchief, which had a strawberry etched in the corner, Brother F began to dry her face.

Trying her hardest to be strong, the girl knew that at the very least, her mother was in a better place. She was taught to be mature enough to handle these topics, despite her young age. “Brother F,” the father spoke, “is there anything we can do to help your cause? I have considered joining the Deep Circle, if it means eliminating these… menaces, that have been plaguing several villages.” Brother F got back up on his feet, staring at the man for a good minute after he had said that.

“We are more than just ones eliminating monsters,” Brother F explained, “your time needed to learn everything there is and accept such a reality would be a very long one… are you absolutely sure? I welcome all who wish to join, but once you enter, you cannot turn back from—”

“Brother F?” Taking him by surprise, the young girl began pulling on his cloak. “Is there something I could do to help as well?” In a brief moment of panic, feeling his hood about to be pulled down, Brother F readjusted it and stepped away from the girl. She was confused at his startled reaction. It was peculiar how he was suddenly seemed offended over that of all things, but the young girl thought nothing more of it.

With little words to say now, Brother F guided the father and daughter, to where rituals of the Deep Circle were held. He hoped that with their help, the Great Old Ones could be more inclined to save this world.

* * *

Hurrying across to the Magician’s Village, in broad daylight no less, Daemon had no way of hiding the horn on his head, or his pointed ears. The most he could do was hide in the shadows behind houses, just so some of the residents would not see the Demon Servant wandering around. It was such a last resort, and a pitiful one. He hated the idea of it, but having a dreadful feeling that Count Adonis and his vampires were gone from this world, Daemon felt there were no options left other than to speak with an opponent he had faced in the past, just so he would not be targeted by those cultist freaks.

It was cowardly, and he felt horrible for abandoning those he had served. But what other choice was there? Daemon saw what happened to most of the vampires, and even Marée. There was no sign of Rulue for a while, so her bodyguard was fiercely protecting her mansion. No point in going to their residence when Daemon would be chased out in seconds. No, he had to see someone more sensible, to an extent, especially since she had been notably nastier when he had faced her.

His chest was pounding, body covered in sweat. Running from the Vampire’s Castle, all the way to this village had taken a toll on him. Daemon swallowed his pride, going up to the lone house, and knocking on the door. “Miss Nadja?” He choked on his words a little, not sure if she would even bother to hear him out. “Are you there, Miss Nadja?” Daemon called out to her, almost prepared to turn back. 

No, not after running so much. He was exhausted, and felt like passing out really. He had nowhere else to go, without being outed for what he was. Fatigue was taking over, Daemon hadn’t eaten anything in hours, face planting onto the grass really didn’t sound like a bad idea right now either. A mere second before Daemon could even lose the energy to stand on his feet though, the door had opened. “Miss Nadja,” he sighed in relief, “I need your help, please… may I enter?” 

His vision was becoming a little blurry, but Daemon was able to make out the figure in blue armor. Like everyone else, he had no idea that the one before him was a doppelgänger, that had taken the place of the real Arle. “Only if you are not here to bother me.” She replied, opening the door for him. “Normally, it would have been amusing to see you collapse right here before even facing you… but I won’t lie, I’m a little concerned that your dragged yourself out here.” 

The doppelgänger might as well try a little harder to act like Arle, even if it was in her own nature to be a tad cruel. Just before Daemon could take a step into her house though, he nearly fell over.

* * *

 

Fifty years. That’s how ago long it was, but every time he had succumbed to a long slumber, he could recall it like any other day.

In his youth, he was nothing more than a fortune teller, capable of divination. His means were not exactly the most pure ones, as the young man had relied on dark magic, that was more accurate than the tellings of those who called themselves prophets. Due to this, he was often casted out of society by those who feared him. To this day, he wasn’t exactly sure if it was fear, or the possibility that some prophets did not want the majority to favor his own insights.

He would never draw to a conclusion that seemed so… selfish, in his eyes at least. But there was evidence to such a possibility. Some traveled great distances, across the scorching lands, just so the young man could tell them what awaited them in their lives. Even in his down time, the man would sometimes take a peek into the future, either this was to look forward to what was coming, or to be wary. Nonetheless, it was extremely useful to him. That very afternoon, he predicted something different for a change, and it piqued his curiosity.

A white veil covering his mouth, the man wore rather exotic looking clothes. Purple robes covering his body, wearing some sort of large, golden necklace that stretched all the way to his shoulders. Playing with his tarot cards, he waited, knowing what sort of company would come visit him today. The only problem was, it was probably a little awkward for him to speak of it to his visitor. He kept thinking over how he should go about this sort of thing, without freaking out the visitor, and the man didn’t even get to finish his thoughts as the curtains of his tent were pulled aside. 

“Excuse me?” The voice of a young lady instantly startled him, interrupting his thoughts. She had short, orange hair, with red beads added to them. “Are you the fortune teller that residents of Wolf Village have spoken of?” It was rather obvious to tell what she exactly was, due to the pointed hat she was wearing, and the wooden broom she carried. He had wondered how she managed to come so far considering how hot it was in the daytime, but it seemed the answer was right in front of him. 

“You flew here?” She was taken aback by him asking that, and so suddenly as well. “Apologies if I surprised you. You’re a witch, yes? I predicted that I would be visited by one today. Sometimes I like to see what visitors I have ahead of time, in case it is something I should be concerned with.” The girl didn’t seem to be bothered by this, sitting down in the wooden chair before a table, which had a crystal ball atop of it.

She smiled at the fortune teller, wondering just how much he knew. “You would be correct about both of those. No worries, I understand the need to look out for what lies ahead.” She held out her hand to him. “My name is Wish, it’s a pleasure to meet you, mister…?” Staring at her hand, the young man held it with his own, and began hovering his other over the witch's palm.

“Ikuri,” he answered, “no need to refer to me as a gentleman or anything like that, just Ikuri is fine.” Looking back up to her eyes, the fortune teller noticed a confused expression on the witch’s face. “Is something troubling you? Did you not want a palm reading?” He hoped he wasn’t making her uncomfortable, something that a part of him was always slightly paranoid about.

However, Wish began to laugh instead. “Oh, no, not exactly. I was trying to shake your hand.” Ikuri felt his face turn a little pink in embarrassment, thankfully hidden by the veil covering his mouth. A handshake wasn’t something he was used to when people offered their hands to him, as he often assumed they wanted a palmistry done right away. “I would like to have a portion of my future seen. I’m curious if at some point, people see me for who I am. I’m often accused of things, due to coming from a family of witches.” Wish explained to him, going through her robes, and taking out a small coin purse.

“You are casted out by others as well?” Ikuri wasn’t too surprised by this, since the whole land had a vendetta against witchcraft as opposed to regular sorcery, believing it was connected to the magic of sinners. The only thing that did trouble him, was the fact that someone would point fingers at a young woman who appeared to be around his age, if not maybe a year younger or so.

“That’s how I found out about you, actually.” Wish pulled out a few bits of gold coins, and offered them to Ikuri. “People in Wolf Village, they compared me to a fortune teller that had been chased out over a year ago. They complained that those who use sinful magic should be exiled completely. I couldn’t help but try to seek you out, as someone who is forming a group of outed magicians.”

Admittedly, Ikuri was rather shy with strangers, due to how distanced he was from the rest of the world. He tried his hardest to act appropriately, and didn’t snap back, even at rude visitors. Usually, Ikuri would be under the impression he had done something wrong if someone was acting that way towards him. “The strange thing is,” he stammered, “I already knew about that as well. You came to visit, in hopes of asking me to join your group, is that right?”

Giggling joyfully, Wish nodded in response. “You really did predict everything that would happen, didn’t you? I hope that was done with your powers, and not just a wild guess. Our group consists of warlocks, summoners, voodoo priests… it would be nice to have a fortune teller join us.” Ikuri definitely liked the idea of that, mainly since he didn’t enjoy living on his own, and wanted company. Wish was far too kind to easily turn down anyway, he would feel bad if he said no to her.

“I would very much like that,” Ikuri replied. “Also, you can keep your money. I shall tell you your future without a price.” Ikuri really only spent what he saved on food, when crossing over to a nearby village, and it wasn’t like he would be living in such a way for the rest of his life. He had seen a glimmer of hope in his future, and Ikuri hoped that this was it. Waving his hands around the violet crystal ball, he began to see an image, one that he did not realize would affect him as well.

In the future, he saw that Wish would become a hero, and no longer be casted out, after protecting everyone from a great calamity. It was so unexpected, and would be even more shocking, when that time came.

* * *

In his right eye socket, a small, red glow began forming. His cold, skeletal body started to awaken. After his defeat at the hands of a fellow dark wizard, he had forced his soul to go into a dormant state, just so his form could fully recover. Someone such as himself, could not be so easily disposed of, not when his desires kept him from leaving this world. In each slumber he had, there was a dream of his memories, which only fueled his vengeful spirit.

His bones began moving with magic. Bandages covered his head, loosely dangling from his arms and legs as well. It was a bit cramped, and the mummified mage couldn’t really move all that much. Carefully pushing what appeared to be a wooden ceiling above him, he started to shift it out of his way. It was merely a lid, as the mage had been recovering inside of a wooden box, inside of a dark chamber. 

Slowly, he got out of his resting place, examining what was around him. The magic circle he had painted on the floor was exactly as he had left it. Candles were positioned right next to symbols on the edge of the circle, and were lit. He stared at the flames, which were a light purple color. It was just as he had predicted, all of the candles lighting at his complete revival.

Being defeated by that dark wizard greatly reduced the mage’s motivation to try and seek revenge again. He began shuffling his feet across the wooden floor, leaving the revival chamber. The mage had found this abandoned shack just after he was resurrected the first time, deep within the Dark Forest. Considering how foggy the forest was, and the shack itself being covered in vines and moss, rotting away from nature getting to it, it was almost impossible for curious travelers to intentionally find his home.

The place hadn’t been disturbed at all. None of the books in the library had been touched, thankfully. When the mage had found the shack, he decided to make it his, not simply just because it was out of everyone’s view, but it already had a decent selection of books before he came in. Grimoires containing old forms of magic, records involving history of the world, monster encyclopedias, even works of fiction. The mage almost felt bad for taking the home away from whomever had lived there originally, if they were even alive anymore.

Sitting down in a creaky chair, the mage gazed at a crystal ball, and a deck of tarot cards. Both were covered in dust, which was to be expected considering how the whole place was a bit of a mess. For old times sake, he figured it was in his best interest to mess around with the tarot cards. Perhaps, they would tell him an interesting story about what was going on with the world while he was done.

He began focusing, closing his eyes, and spreading out the cards. Using his magic, he shuffled them around, then brought them back together, putting his questions into the cards, using only his mind. Without knowing what would come next, he flipped over whatever card came first.

The Emperor. That meant someone out there had authority, and utmost control. No doubt in his mind, this person is influencing crowds. Accompanying that card, was the High Priestess, indicating that the influential person was full of wisdom, and deep motivations.

The both of those cards were followed by… the Tower. The sight of that card made the mage start trembling. Normally, the Devil was followed by the Tower in tarot readings, but this one was followed by the Emperor and High Priestess. Not someone filled with greed or anger, but someone with a high authority over others, hiding their true motivation from the public.

After that card, came the Hermit. It wouldn’t make sense for someone to go into hiding during an event, which could only mean someone was coming out of hiding, or perhaps doing something on their own.

That someone must have been him. Dark Matter had been hiding long enough. Some fool with an influence over others was going to throw the world into chaos, it was in his best interest to see what it was all about. But not before gaining more insight to what other events may transpire. Forming two more hands made out of bandages, he took the next card out of the deck, hoping to see what else was in store for the near future. At the same time, he waved his normal, bony hands over the crystal ball, chanting what he desired to see.

* * *

Daemon told her everything. The cultists who had suddenly arrived, the vampires being slain, him escaping just so he could live to fight another day. Thankfully, Doppelgänger Arle decided to be nice, offering him a glass of water and some fruits she had bought at a market. Daemon felt his energy start to return, yet his muscles were still sore from running all the way over to the Magician’s Village. It was a moment where he felt more human, rather than demon. Something which didn’t make sense at all, but maybe it was because Daemon felt so powerless.

For once in her life, Doppelgänger Arle actually was a bit troubled by what someone had just described. Normally, there were mischievous plots, which were resolved with Puyo. She had never heard of someone taking matters into their own hands against threatening monsters, much less by using strange, demonic creatures. Summoners weren’t exactly common, and the ones that did exist would prefer to use their powers in self-defense. They also wouldn’t be grouped in with cult-like behavior, they would be sorcerers like anyone else.

There really wasn’t much she could do about it either. Try to go against such a vicious group? There was a slim chance she would be identified— provided they weren’t complete idiots— and lose the life she had longed for. Not worth risking, at all. “I can do little about it, I doubt they can be eased by a simple Puyo match.” Doppelgänger Arle finally said, as Fakebuncle climbed up to her shoulder. “At the very best you can stay here for now, as long as you promise not to be a pest.” 

She didn’t even know why she allowed this. Out of pity perhaps? That was the most likely reason, or she was a bit fearful of what may happen out there. It wasn’t like this idiot could do much to help himself… actually, Doppelgänger Arle hoped he could do at least a little bit, so Daemon wouldn’t resort to relying on her all of the time. Daemon occasionally did that when it came to his relation with Count Adonis. Anytime the Demon Servant failed, he would most likely retreat to his master.

But now, his master wasn’t around, and for some reason the burden was dropped onto Doppelgänger Arle. Perhaps it wasn’t all bad, she could score more points on being like Arle if she helped Daemon a little. Maybe, he would even reward her, but that was just the doppelgänger being optimistic now. “I’m going out,” Doppelgänger Arle spoke, staring out the window. “I shall ask around if any residents have seen any suspicious activity that could have led to this. You need to stay here for now, and don’t touch anything. Understood?”

The tired Daemon slowly nodded his head, then groaned in pain. “I didn’t plan on leaving your house, I’m afraid. I think I actually may take a nap here, if that’s alright with you.” Doppelgänger Arle didn’t object, and began leaving with Fakebuncle. Daemon began to close his eyes, hoping that he would feel better soon. It bothered him how “Arle” didn’t offer to heal him, but perhaps she wasn’t keen on trusting him. No one with a shred of sanity would to begin with, since he was a Demon Servant, after all. They would have to be a complete moron to let a demon in their home in the first place, but “Arle” wasn’t stupid.

He shuddered to think what would happen if he had stayed in the Vampire’s Castle. Daemon probably would have had his horn ripped off, which would be collected as a trophy. Or maybe the cultists would have let those strange, winged demons tear him apart. They didn’t even look like devils that were from Hell, so Daemon could only wonder where they came from in the first place.

Each time he closed his eyes, all he could see, were the Night-gaunts. Shredding the vampires, along with sweet Marée…

* * *

Fae stopped in her tracks, noticing that the pharmacy had closed down entirely. The shop had been cleaned out, no one was inside, even the curtains had been removed. It was rather startling, considering she traveled such a long way to get there. She came in mainly to pick up a prescribed medicine for Barbara, one that would help her sleep well at night, but now Fae wanted to know what exactly happened here.

Looking over to some locals, Fae walked up to a woman, no older than she was. “Excuse me,” she said politely, “do you know what happened to the pharmacy over there? I came from the Magician’s Village to get some medicine for a friend, but it appears to be gone. Did they move their business somewhere else?” Part of Fae wasn’t even sure if that was likely, since even her mother said that the pharmacy had been around for generations.

“The poor young man,” the woman sighed, “he was attacked overnight, and turned into a horrible, undead creature! A witch that’s a frequent visitor here, she put a stop to him, but there was no undoing what had happened.” Fae’s eyes widened in absolute shock, not expecting such a frightening explanation. “To think, some monster would sneak in this town, and make that boy into one of their own. Who would do such a thing?”

Fae visibly winced at that part, finding this sort of action to be rather familiar. “Anyway, the supplies were donated to another shop, but your friend’s might still be there, unless they’re sold out.” After hearing her go on about how much of a tragedy the whole thing was, Fae accidentally tuned her out for a while, lost in thoughts, until she had snapped out of it.

“Thank you very much, I’ll see if I can find it.” Turning away from the woman, Fae went from trying to fake a smile, to baring a worried expression. She really wasn’t sure whether to turn back now, or find Barbara’s sleeping drug. Considering how Barbara often got cranky, probably best to speak with her once Fae got the medicine. On the other hand, she might take up too much time here, and—

_ Decay. _

Fae could smell it, near an alleyway. Something smelled rotten, like a hunk of flesh. A cloak was lying on the ground, beckoning Fae to be examined. She had to make sure that no one was watching her, and no sort of ruffian would dare try to attack her, before carefully approaching the discarded cloak. The smell was getting worse, and yet, very familiar as she got closer. Fae looked down at her shoes, seeing a couple of maggots and all sorts of flesh-eating worms. They were crawling on the ground, as flies were surrounding the cloak.

In disgust, Fae saw no other option but to touch the cloak with her hands, carefully turning it over. She nearly wanted to vomit at what she was witnessing. On the other side of the cloak, several maggots and worms were attached, most likely feeding off of it. Severals flies, attempting to lay their eggs, soon scattered in a panicked frenzy. Fae instantly dropped the cloak, feeling herself gag. It wasn’t even the worst part about all of this.

Something caught her eye, being chewed on by the many parasites. Fae held her nose, trying to get a closer look. A few violet strands of hair, looking as if they had fallen out of the one who had worn the cloak. With her fingers twitching, Fae pulled the hair strands off of it, trying to carefully shake away the worms.

She had seen this hair color before. It belonged to someone, that Fae had once known.

Gasping in at what this all meant, Fae hurried to find the shop. If there was one way to get Barbara to shut up and listen, it was to give her what she wanted. This was more concerning than Fae thought, and this time, the problem couldn’t just be easily shoved into a tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dark Matter has arrived! He's one of my favorite final bosses, and I enjoy the theories involving him and Wish! o:
> 
> Sorry if this chapter is a little on the short side? Hopefully the next one won't have as many constant, changing scenes. I tried to do research on tarot cards for this chapter, by watching videos of a tutorial and looking at a website. I may have not gotten it 100% accurate regarding how they're used…


	4. Illusion of Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miss Fae, the sweet teacher with green hair, returns to Barbara and recalls the past of her mentor. Back before the illusion of his innocence began to shatter.

Once Fae had gotten the medicine, she began rushing. She paid no mind to what was going on around her, nearly bumping into several villagers. Fae could only think about how she would explain everything to Barbara. Why she took so long, the pharmacist being killed, the hairs that Fae had found in the alleyway. Each thought rushed after the other, but also bounced back since Fae wanted to make sure Barbara would understand.

Through the Light Forest, Fae forced herself to halt, just so she could examine her surroundings. Turning left from the lake, which was inhabited by several frogs, then going past a giant log covered in moss. Fae had gone through this place many times in her life, so the path between villages was one she memorized by heart. As long as she never ended up skipping a part by mistake, it was impossible for her to get lost in the forest.

It was such a relaxing area. Birds could be heard chirping, butterflies scattered in a wonderful dance, small specks of light were illuminating the forest. Such beauty was one that people could sit down the admire for hours, made even easier with the lack of threatening monsters beyond a few Puyo blobs. But in her moment of panic, that beauty was was nothing but a blur lost on Fae. A place which she had almost considered a second home, able to keep her safe and help her relax, was not doing its job right now. Fae was worried, more than ever, and she did not have the time to keep herself calm.

“Puyo Puyo!” A green Puyo cheerfully hopped towards Fae, being completely ignorant to her panic. It slid over towards her foot, just as she was running, and forced her to trip. Fae gasped, afraid that the medicine bottle in her pouch would break from the stumble, but it did not. It was a brief moment of relief, as Fae realized that this whole time, she did not cast an illusion spell, which was capable of disguising herself.

Chanting it to herself and holding up two fingers, the Puyo saw the woman before it turn into a white cat. Hissing at the Puyo, the feline scurried away, wishing to exit the Light Forest. Puzzled by how that just happened, the green Puyo began dragging itself across the grass, wondering if there was someone else to sneak up on.

Of course, the white cat was merely a false image to those who were possible threats. It wasn’t like Fae had magically transformed into a cat, but rather, she was able to make it appear that she was a harmless animal that wasn’t worth bothering. Fae could see the Magician’s Village in the distance, and tried to gather her thoughts once more. It may be a good idea to confront Juju about this as well, but Barbara should come first.

The illusion spell wore off the moment Fae left the forest. She felt her body start to become a little weary, and wondered if she would be too exhausted to speak… No, Fae had to make it, and voice her concerns. If she didn’t, then it would be like last time. Riddled with guilt, feeling like a moron for not acting on something sooner. The last time Fae turned a blind eye to things, creating an illusion of innocence, she regretted it.

It was no different here. She was oblivious, and that pharmacist, who had many hopes and dreams, was now gone. Fae knew there was a way that she could have prevented this, even if logically, she couldn’t have. Such a thing is what Juju had told her before, hoping Fae would let go of the past… but she couldn’t.

Fae didn’t even knock to see if Barbara was there or not. Despite being an older woman, Barbara never bothered putting locks on her door, thinking she could defend herself with magic. Either way, Fae’s entrance startled the elderly woman, who was hunched over, boiling a tea kettle. “Goodness, you couldn’t knock? You have better manners than that, Fae!” She snapped, waving her walking stick at the green-haired teacher.

She had dark blue hair, which was rolled into a bun. Around her head was circlet, much like Fae’s, but it had a jewel in the center. “You could have given me a heart attack, something I don’t need right now! What took you so long anyway? Did you pick up the sleeping medication I asked for?” Rather than using her words, Fae dug the bottle out of her pocket, carefully placing it on the table as she sat down. “About time! I swear, I would be up trying to count sheep if I didn’t have this.” Taking the bottle away, the older woman placed it inside of a medicine cabinet.

“Barbara,” Fae finally spoke, trying to collect her thoughts. “There’s something you need to know.” The older woman, Barbara, didn’t seem to pay much attention to the concern in Fae’s voice. In fact, she seemed almost completely oblivious to it, thinking it would be some trivial matter.

“You’re going to ask that I retire? I’ve told Juju this already, I may have stepped down, but I’m still going to keep my eyes on—”

“The young pharmacist died a couple of days ago, which is why I took so long.” Fae explained, giving a serious look. Barbara finally shut her yap, not sure how to take this news, only finding herself waiting for Fae to speak further. “A monster got to him,” Fae continued, “an undead one. I found something near the scene of the incident.” 

Slowly reaching for her pocket, Barbara began to dread what Fae would show her. The both of them tensed up, Fae’s fist clenched around the hair strands, unaware of the remaining maggots that had not been shaken off. Fae felt like gagging, feeling the slimy guts being squeezed out as she pulled out the hairs. Barbara could see a small hint of violet, and forced herself to look away immediately.

Her grip on the walking stick tightened in a mix of anger, and uncertainty. Barbara’s body began to feel cold, wishing she didn’t have to look at this. “He’s alive,” Fae murmured, “he got out. He killed that young man, and turned him into one of his own.” Opening her hand, Fae watched as the violet hairs fell onto the table, the guts of maggots mixed in with them.

Neither of them spoke, unsure what to say next. One waited for the other, but it seemed as if neither of them wanted to speak of the monster responsible for it. Fae didn’t want to make things worse, she really didn’t, but it seemed as if Barbara was rendered completely speechless. What was it that Fae could talk about though? How she was a fool for not knowing that he escaped? For letting him get away with murdering someone younger a second time?

“Fù Zhé,” Barbara finally uttered, taking Fae by surprise. “Damn him… damn him to Hell. I thought for certain that the child finished him off.” After hearing a loud, whistling sound, Barbara put out the flames under the tea kettle, knowing that it was done boiling. Grabbing onto a pot holder so she could lift the kettle up, Barbara looked back at Fae, knowing the younger teacher far too well. “You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened back then, you know. It was no one’s fault but that monster of a man.”

Barbara had said that many times, as did Juju, but it wasn’t made any better for Fae. Everything about Fù Zhé, every moment spent with him, became much more mortifying to Fae when she looked back on it. 

* * *

It was about over twenty-one years ago…

Fae was a high school student during this period of her life, and she was not interested in basic sorcery at all. She wished to learn a master a different subject before graduating, since she was already eighteen years old. It took a while to figure out what it was she wanted, until Fae thought back to her old elementary school teacher. He was an odd sort of fellow, who relied on illusions and old incantations, rather than the norm, which Fae had always found to be intriguing.

Fù Zhé, an instructor far from the east. He had carried his foreign talents over to the magic school, in hopes of passing down the spells he had learned. It was a power taught throughout his family, and Fù Zhé wished to extend that chain to people outside his birthplace. Fù Zhé was quite wise, in more ways than one that is. Not only was he intelligent, but he was prone to making wisecracking remarks, to the point where Barbara would call him “wise ass” behind his back. His power was one that was magnificent, yet quite fearsome, since some of his illusions could be frightening.

One thing that Fae noted over the years, was that Fùzhé looked like he stopped aging during her high school years. He appeared to be a little aged when she left elementary school, and he even complained about not having enough time to pass down every bit of his knowledge, then it was as if it suddenly halted. Some students made jokes about how ever since Fù Zhé said that, he began aging backwards, appearing to be more youthful than he was previously. 

Around this time, Juju was applying to be the next director of magic, and Fae was hoping to become a teacher herself, since she admired Fùzhé so much. Fae decided she wanted to be just like him, and learn about all the illusions he was capable of creating. Upon confronting him about it, Fae was admittedly, very nervous, thinking Fù Zhé would turn her away. Much to her surprise, Fù Zhé agreed to teach her the many incantations he knew, saying he needed someone to give his talents to.

The two scheduled to meet up once every week, so Fù Zhé could help Fae master the power of illusions. This ranged from disguises, apparitions that could appear human, or imagery that could scare others away. There were other ancient spells as well, based around imprisonment, all of which had varying effects such as sleepiness, or making one’s body feel heavy. Fù Zhé was more than willing to be the test subject of the spells Fae was learning. Even if it meant he was slightly harmed in the process, Fù Zhé believed it was worth the risk.

“Are you ready, Fae?” He asked her, standing tall and proud. His stance was one that was a bit intimidating to Fae, but Fù Zhé’s smile eased her nerves. The small bit of sunlight peeking through a window shined on his face, making Fù Zhé squint. The laugh lines on him really showed his age, and it was a quality Fae had always been fond of. “Remember what I told you,” Fù Zhé continued, “do not worry about me, otherwise the incantation will be less effective. Focus, and think of me as nothing more than an obstacle.”

She slowly nodded her head, closing her eyes. Holding up her hands, Fae only raised her index and middle fingers. “Goku!” Fae chanted, symbols materializing at the tips of her fingers. Fù Zhé’s head started throbbing, his body becoming heavy. His legs were trembling, which forced him to fall to his knees. Fù Zhé tried to hold on as best as he could, knowing that his pupil was successful at casting the spell so far, but Fù Zhé wanted Fae to overpower him. She didn’t once let down, the pressure only increasing as she nearly crushed the mind of her tutor. Unable to handle the incantation much longer, Fù Zhé fell to the ground.

Nearly a minute passed, as Fae felt the enchantment finally vanish from her fingertips. Fae opened her eyes, gasping at the sight of her fallen tutor. “Fù Zhé?” She called out his name, hoping he would respond. Moving closer to his body, Fae repeated herself. “Fù Zhé? Please, tell me you’re alright!” Getting onto her knees, she checked Fù Zhé’s body, feeling his pulse. He was definitely alive, but Fae could not tell if he was conscious, or if he would even remember what had happened just now. 

Fae wasn’t exactly sure how to revive him. She didn’t know healing magic, and there appeared to be nothing in the room that would help the fallen tutor. The most Fae could do really, was keep calling his name. “Fù Zhé, wake up, please!” Fae began to sound more desperate, each time she repeated her tutor’s name. Trying to gently lift him from the ground, Fae could feel her fingers brush against his smooth, violet hair.

It was soft to the touch, something Fae did not expect considering his age. Fù Zhé’s eyes were closed, but they did not seem tired or dark, they appeared to be as bright as ever. Well-toned skin, broad jawline. She had gotten a good, long look at Fù Zhé, many times in her youth, but she had never thought of holding him until now, even if it was for just a brief moment.

Without realizing it, she began curling her fingers through Fù Zhé’s hair, caressing his face. Fae had gotten rather close her tutor, as she spent more time with him. Fae always followed his advice, which had helped her many times, and every time Fù Zhé cracked a silly joke, Fae couldn’t help but laugh with him. Even when he was growing old, he acted the same as ever, which Fae admired. Fù Zhé wasn’t old and bitter like Barbara, and that attitude reflected his appearance.

_ “Gotcha.” _

Snapping out of her thoughts, Fae winced, now realizing what she was doing. Fù Zhé did not seem to care, only chuckling at the predicament as he slowly got back up. “Had you worried there for a second, I see. You have done well, Fae.” Fù Zhé dusted off his green robe, helping his pupil onto her feet next. “No need to fret over my condition, especially when our focus should be on your skill, which so far, is superb!” Fù Zhé exclaimed, sliding back over to an old book, which contained various spells. “Come, Fae, you still have many more tests to take before the sun decides to set.”

He glanced over the spell book, quickly flipping a page before dragging his finger downwards. “Would you be interested in creating apparitions perhaps, Fae? It takes time, but once you master it, you will be capable of things beyond your wildest imagination! What do you think of that?” His optimism was almost unmatched, making those around him very content. It at least helped relax Fae’s nerves, since something was on her mind the entire time.

“I suppose it would be a good idea to get the more difficult lessons out of the way,” Fae agreed. “By the way, there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you—”

“You wish to go on a date me?” Fù Zhé joked, making his pupil’s cheeks turn pink. “Only teasing you. That sort of thing isn’t appropriate of course, I’m far too old for you, and that kind of relationship would get us both in trouble! Who wants that?” He laughed, unable to notice that Fae wasn’t giggling with him like she often would. “But really, what is it you are wondering about?”

Clearing her throat while brushing aside her embarrassment, Fae resumed her question. “Do you know what happened to Barbara’s grandson by chance? Kamyu, I believe his name is.” Fae questioned, while her tutor froze up. “He told Barbara he was going to visit you for a private lesson, and he was seen leaving by some of the villagers. But after that, no one had heard from him.” For a second, Fù Zhé appeared to be rather shocked, which Fae did not expect from him.

“That boy was Barbara’s grandkid?”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“Barbara mentioned having one and how he excelled in studies, but never told me his name or what he looked like. You know how it is, she’d rather criticize my sense of humor when we’re having a conversation, as opposed to staying on topic.” Normally he would chuckle after that sort of comment, but he didn’t follow with such at all. “Does anyone know if he went straight home? I don’t mean to assume the worst here, but sometimes outside the Magician’s Village, it can get a little dangerous.”

Fae knew that the Light Forest was immediately out of the question. That place had always been extremely tame, so someone such as Kamyu would get by easily. It wouldn’t make sense for Kamyu to go anywhere else either, caves were often guarded so children or those unable to defend themselves would not wander inside. “Do you think that he was kidnapped?” Fae wondered, unable to read the expression of her mentor.

“Like I said, I don’t want to assume the worst.” Fù Zhé closed his book of spells, and opened his desk drawer, searching for something as he put the book away. “Are you that worried about it? Because I do not wish for you to be… well, distracted. I can send you home with a scroll for you to study if you like.” Carefully, Fù Zhé took out a scroll, offering it to Fae. “I wrote down each and every detail of the incantations I know, just in case someone such as yourself wanted to study them. Perhaps next time, we can have a small sparring match, yes?”

Taking the scroll, Fae couldn’t help but giggle softly. “Sparring? Really? That doesn’t sound like you at all.” Fae then examined the scroll, barely even opening it as she noticed something. A red dot, which was a bit smudged. She did not believe that it was any sort of ink, as it appeared to look more like a drop of blood. “Fù Zhé, did you have a bloody nose or something? There’s a stain on this scroll.” Lightly wincing, Fù Zhé looked over his pupil’s shoulder.

“Oh, whoops,” Fù Zhé nervously laughed, “not like it’s completely ruined. But to answer you question, yes, I did. Not because of any thoughts that would be deemed crude, before you ask. It’s just the change of temperature that’s getting to me. I probably ended up ruining that scroll when I was searching for a handkerchief.” The way he was handling this conversation was odd to Fae, as if he was actually embarrassed for a change. Perhaps he actually was thinking of something questionable, but it seemed unlike Fù Zhé. More over, he wasn’t making any wise remarks over Kamyu’s disappearance, even if it would be uncalled for.

Fae could only imagine that deep down, Fù Zhé was actually afraid of what happened to the boy. Perhaps he blamed himself for Kamyu disappearing? Most likely made worse upon learning the boy was Barbara’s grandson. If he was putting up a front, Fae wanted to break through it, just so her mentor wouldn’t suffer for his mistake in silence. “Fù Zhé,” she uttered, getting his attention. “Listen, whatever happened to Kamyu, wasn’t your fault.”

Fù Zhé wore a blank expression, not sure what Fae was getting at exactly. He was getting ready to sit back down in his chair and organize some things, until Fae had said that. Fae was turned away from him, so she had no idea that Fù Zhé got back up. She could hear a sigh of frustration, as opposed to one of amusement which would often by heard fro Fù Zhé. “Fae, what exactly is that supposed to mean? Is there something you know that everyone doesn’t, or are you accusing me?” He questioned, approaching his pupil.

“No!” Fae gasped, shocked that Fù Zhé would actually say that. “I simply… don’t wish for you to be the subject of blame for this. All you did was give him a private lesson, no one could have predicted that he would go missing. It isn’t like you to start feeling guilty. Kamyu will turn up eventually, I just know he will. Then—”

She did not even get to finish her rambling, which was leading nowhere to begin with. Fae was trying her hardest to reassure her mentor, but halted upon feeling one hand touching her shoulder, and another touching her chin. Chills went down her spine, and Fae’s heart nearly stopped from how close Fù Zhé was to her. “I see, is that it?” Much to Fae’s relief, Fù Zhé started grinning once more, in the way he always would. “Fret not. It wasn’t so much I felt guilty, as much as I thought you were suggesting that all of this was my wrongdoing.” Laughing, he removed his hands and held them up, backing away from his pupil. “Admittedly, I would be upset if my own student was turning against me. I’m not exactly sure what I would do if such a thing occurred.”

Hearing that meant a lot to Fae for whatever reason. Something about how close he had gotten felt unusual though, Did Fù Zhé hold her somewhere special? Fae tried to push that idea away, remembering what Fù Zhé had mentioned earlier. It wasn’t appropriate at all, and there was a large age gap between the two. “Study well tonight, Fae, and make sure you get plenty of rest so we can spar with magic. I may be huge, but I’ll go easy on you!” Patting her on the back Fù Zhé began locking up his desk. Fae glanced back at him one last time, giving him a warm smile.

“Did you have to word it like that?” Fae whispered to herself, leaving with the scroll in her hands. She hoped that Kamyu would be found soon, so everyone could stop worrying. Seeing no need to stay there any longer, Fae exited the room, passing through the school halls. Fae knew that Kamyu was strong, and brave— perhaps a bit stubborn like his grandmother— he could pull through just about anything, no doubt.

If something such as a kidnapping happened, Kamyu would probably be able to get out of it. Fae focused on the many possibilities there were, such as Kamyu tricking his captors, fighting his way out… or perhaps he was just traveling. Some of the fantasies were actually a bit humorous, but it didn’t make sense as to why he didn’t return sooner. 

* * *

He killed him.

Juju did investigating in Fù Zhé’s office, looking through his spell book out of curiosity, and learned that Fù Zhé had a spell that could drain the life of others. When Juju and Barbara confronted Fù Zhé about it, a fight happened, as Fù Zhé made a slip to the fact Kamyu was already dead and buried, along with a few others. This whole time, Fù Zhé had been keeping himself youthful, by taking lives of those younger than him. Then, he made it look like they left the school with an illusion.

The fight was a brutal one, and Fae didn’t know all of the details. It was better that she didn’t know— she already couldn’t handle the fact that her mentor not only murdered a child, but probably intended on getting rid of her as well if she pried too much. Barbara took it just as badly, if not worse than Fae. She felt personally responsible, since she had put Fù Zhé in charge of private lessons to begin with. She had indirectly got her own grandson killed, which led to Barbara being removed from her position. For a while, she hated herself for it.

“I’m over it, Fae.” Barbara said, sounding cold as ever. “Even if I didn’t put that bastard in charge, he still would have done the horrible things he did. I don’t understand his reason, other than thinking he could cheat growing old, by using his magic. That sort of thing only works with witches and warlocks. I know it’s difficult since he taught you everything, but you need to let go.”

Fae remained silent, each little hint of possibilities flashing before her eyes, like it always did. Juju had sealed Fù Zhé into an old tower after giving him a fatal injury— making the older magician lose his legs— and now he had gotten out.

No, not Fù Zhé… Fudoushi. He wasn’t the same person anymore, and Fae refused to think of them as one in the same. He could come back for all of three of them, at any given moment. The idea terrified Fae, one night, Fudoushi might come in and act out of feeling betrayed. She had no idea if he would be disappointed, or if he would kill her. Chances were that Fudoushi would go after Juju first, not that Fae wished for such a horrible thing.

“You’re afraid, and I cannot blame you. We do not know where he is, or how we can stop him this time.” Barbara grumbled, finishing her cup of tea. Fae hadn’t touched hers at all, far too lost in thought to even take a drink. “First Juju could not kill him, despite melting his lower half off, and then our best whippersnapper couldn’t completely finish him off. He’s not imprisoned in a tower either, so it’s not something that’s as easy to solve. Is there _any_ sorcerer that can kill him for good!?”

Perhaps… not any sorcerer, no. Once again, Fae’s mind was snapping back to the past. This time however, it wasn’t so far back, as she recalled Brother F. He did not rely on magic, but rather, some sort of divine power, didn’t he? He had taken on vampires and other associated monsters, coming out victorious in the end. Fae did not want to confront her mentor, especially with violent intents. It pained her heart a little to do such a thing, but Fae could not think of any other options that were less risky. Surely, the Deep Circle would accept her plea, if it meant they could save lives. That was their motive after all, wasn’t it?

“I know someone.”

There was another pause. Barbara stared directly at Fae, who had snapped out of her thoughts finally. “Go on.” Barbara replied, finishing her drink and pushing it aside.

It took about half an hour of explaining, and also debating, but the both of them soon agreed. There wasn’t anything else they could do, but turn to someone with completely different talents. Fae decided she would go search for the Deep Circle on her own, and pray that they would be willing to get rid of Fudoushi, before he could do worse.

* * *

She must have been crazy, going around and asking locals of the Magician’s Village where she could find the Deep Circle. It was a weird thing for a talented magician such as herself to do, but it wasn’t as if Fae could think of any other method of tracking them down. Part of her wanted to keep looking behind her back, especially when she found herself suddenly alone, purely out of the fear that her former mentor could be watching her. It was irrational, but then again, Fudoushi was an unpredictable type.

“Madam?” A voice called out to Fae, startling her. She looked over to a river, seeing a man standing there, wearing a hood much like Brother F would. Fae could only assume that this was a member of the Deep Circle, out here on his own. “You seem rather lost and afraid, shall the Great Old Ones guide you?” He asked. Something Fae found odd is how this man’s face could be seen, unlike Brother F, for some strange reason.

“Actually, I am a local of the Magician’s Village, but I was searching for the Deep Circle.” That reply wasn’t exactly what the man expected, but he found it to be intriguing. “I was wondering if you would happen to know where Brother F is. I have met him before, and I actually require his aid.” The man didn’t seem exactly convinced, and Fae could tell, trying to sound more desperate. “Please, I’m begging you. This is something us sorcerers can’t handle any further, I’ll do anything I’m asked, as long as the Deep Circle can help.”

His face quickly lit up, not only at the fact that this was beyond the control of many sorcerers inhabiting the Magician’s Village, but also how she was willing to do whatever they wanted in return. “Is that so? Brother F is always looking for more to help, since it pleases the Outer Gods.” Fae hoped that this didn’t mean she would be asked to join their cult, since it meant she would have to give up her magic studies and have to start over on something new. Plus, Fae loved her job far too much, and needed to help Lala with private lessons. Perhaps something could be worked out. “Come along, madam. We shall see what Brother F will say. Right now, he is doing some practices behind a waterfall.”

Following him, Fae couldn’t help but start to have second thoughts. There was no reason to, since Brother F seemed to be quite a kind individual, so it was probably just the possibility of him requesting that Fae join the Deep Circle. Just as Fae and the man got close to the waterfall, they were stopped, this time by a woman. “Halt, Brother F does not wish for those not involved with the Deep Circle to go any further. What is it that this one desires?” The hooded woman questioned, not moving an inch from her spot.

“Fear not, sister, for this one only wishes to meet with Brother F. May you bring him to us, so we may hear the details of this sorcerer’s plea?” The man requested, which was followed by a nod from his associate. The hooded woman went inside of the cavern, without saying another word, and the man started to chuckle. “I myself am new to this, you see, only just started learning of secrets not known to a majority of mortal men. Brother F frequently changes the location of his practices, and today, he picked one that would be hard to notice.” 

Fae found this man’s voice to be familiar, as she tried to examine his facial features. It struck her quickly that this was the man she saw visiting the Magician’s Village, at one point mourning over the loss of his wife. She didn’t expect him to be converted to the Deep Circle so soon, but perhaps his faith was one that the Deep Circle needed. It wasn’t her business though, so Fae wouldn’t try to intrude on such a matter. “Ah, so you have returned, just as I had expected?” Brother F said, emerging from the cavern. “Have you considered letting go of your magic, to be accepted by the Great Old Ones? Ever since I had given you a token of our blessing, the Outer Gods have been wanting you.” Fae wasn’t exactly sure how to respond to that part just yet, so it was best to cut to the chase right now.

“I must ask that you help us. You disposed of those vampires, yes?” Fae took a deep breath, hoping that Brother F and his associates would understand her. “A horrible beast that was once a magician, had escaped from the place he was sealed in. In the past, he has taken the lives of children.” The revelation shocked Brother F, along with fellow members of the Deep Circle. “I do not wish for more innocent lives to be taken away, or for him to convert people to the undead. I don’t know where he is, but I fear the possibility of him coming for me as well. Sorcerers have been unable to get rid of him for good, which is why…”

Fae’s words suddenly trailed off, a pang of guilt hitting her in the gut. Even if her mentor was a horrible monster that no one could forgive now, Fae recalled what she said to him, back when he was Fù Zhé. Fae knew it was wrong to betray him, turn others against him, especially since she tried to cheer him up back then. Fae almost wanted to turn back now, and confront her former mentor herself, but the thought was too frightening. There was nothing she could do either, and if she tried to reason with him, chances are she would be killed.

“My dear, are you alright?” Brother F asked, noticing that Fae had spaced out. “I understand completely, we actually have a plan to stop these monsters from taking lives. We cannot do it without you though.” Fae slightly flinched when Brother F told her that just now. She wanted to question why it was her, but Brother F continued. “Do not worry, for I am not asking you to join our cause like I have before. After giving you that blessing, the Outer Gods and I have decided your assistance is more valuable than that.”

Raising his arms, Brother F slapped his right hand against his left, as if making some sort of gesture. Fae did not understand it at all, but his two acolytes did. The hooded man lifted up a club, while the woman removed a sack from her cloak. Fae did not even get a chance to turn around to see what was happening, as she was knocked over the head, and went unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, this chapter… It took a while, mainly because I got caught up with other things, something I was worried about happening. ;;
> 
> I did some research on Chinese for this one, to come up with a name for when Fudoushi was "normal". Decided on "Fù Zhé" (富哲), which can mean "wealthy sage". It ends up being ironic because in the end, he becomes Fudoushi (腐導師), which translates as "rotten tutor".
> 
> So he went from wealthy and abundant with life, to a rotten beast from his own actions. That was my intent, even if "Fù" is generally more of a surname. It was also a way to keep the "Fu" part of his name, except with a different accent/tone... Why am I explaining this? Geez.
> 
> I'm exhausted, hopefully there weren't more typos I missed...


	5. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dark Matter recalls more of his past life after having a short meeting, while Lala wonders what happened to Miss Fae.

There was a gentle knock at his door.

Dark Matter thought no one would be able to find his home, considering how closed off it was from the rest of the Dark Forest, so he thought it was just the aged door creaking a little. More focused on his crystal ball, and the images inside, Dark Matter’s body tensed up, once he heard the knocking get louder. Losing his insight to the future, he grumbled in frustration, hoping to chase off this intruder.

Approaching the wooden door, Dark Matter growled at whoever was outside, trying to send the message with intimidation. “Who goes there?” He questioned, wishing that the chain locks didn’t rust and fall off, otherwise Dark Matter probably wouldn’t have to put up with this. Not that his door budged easily even without them, it took a bit of strength to get it unstuck. “Turn back, now,” he threatened, “or your fate shall succumb to the darkness.”

There were a few seconds of silence, followed by a chuckle. “Fate succumbing to darkness? What a cliché thing to say, especially to someone who can’t even fear that sort of thing anymore.” The voice was one that Dark Matter could immediately recognize, and it made him groan. He almost wished he didn’t say a word, but that method probably would not have worked either. Drawing back, Dark Matter used his bandages to form a pair of hands, which pried open the door.

“Fudoushi, please give me a good reason as to why you are troubling me right now.” Dark Matter sighed, praying that the decayed sorcerer before him wouldn’t let himself in… and he did exactly that, irritating Dark Matter further. “Sure, make yourself comfortable, why don’t you?” The dark mage mumbled, dripping with bitter sarcasm. Shoving the door closed once again, Dark Matter kept a sharp eye on Fudoushi, in case he tried to touch anything in his home.

“Why, I just figured you needed some company, it’s been a while since I had seen you.” Fudoushi stated, examining the mage’s bookshelf.

“I said I wanted a _good_ reason.” Dark Matter replied, smacking Fudoushi’s hand away from the bookshelf. “Are you not aware that I only just recently regenerated?” He questioned, which got Fudoushi to pay attention to what the mage was saying, if only for that last part.

Staring at Dark Matter, he smirked. It was difficult to tell if this was a mocking smile, or one of pity. Either way, Dark Matter hated it. “To answer your question, no, I didn’t know you were regenerating. I take it that means you were defeated a second time by her?” Dark Matter began to regret letting that slip out, he should have just stated that he was resting, so Fudoushi would think nothing of it. “Taking her body was more difficult than how you imagined it going, I assume? Then again, I should have expected this. Had you succeeded, then the whole world would be in panic.” With a chuckle, Fudoushi turned around, resuming his examination of Dark Matter’s belongings.

“You’re far too smug for your own good. To answer your question, I was defeated by another.” Dark Matter explained, knowing it was pointless to stop Fudoushi. “A dark mage, much like myself. Albeit rather than divination, this boy relied on an ancient magic. One I can tell came from the Rune Lord’s influence. I have not heard of one associated with him in a long time, not since legends of the Wizard Lulba had come and gone… are you even listening to me?”

“Nope.” Upon that response, Dark Matter threw his arms down in defeat. Again, no use in trying to do anything with this idiot. Stepping back over to the table where the crystal ball laid, Dark Matter sat down, hoping to get a clear image of the future again. “Admit it, you need someone to speak to. We’re no different from each other, so us undead sorcerers should stick close.” Pulling a book from the shelf, Fudoushi glanced over it. The written work was about the aforementioned Rune Lord.

Dark Matter grumbled as he tried to gain insight once more. “We are nothing alike, you acted out of selfish needs, while I was doing things for the better.” Waving his hands around the crystal ball, Dark Matter cleared his mind, focusing his power only on what lied ahead. Fudoushi knew that he couldn’t interrupt him, as funny as it would be to pester the mage. Putting the book back, he quietly watched Dark Matter.

Slowly, the mage felt he was transcending the current period of time, along with reality itself at what he was seeing. “Corruption of the conscious, such mental instability,” he murmured, “these things beyond the imagination, pure insanity.” He stopped moving his hands, but kept his focus, speaking of the visions aloud. “I have seen this, more than once, at the cause of fools who believe to be the word of purity. Things I have wanted to prevent, but my voice, unheard amongst the crowds. Each time I try to get a good, long look at what’s before me, I feel that my mind may snap.”

Fudoushi didn’t say a word. Not a single, snarky comment escaped him. Instead, he watched the flashing, grotesque imagery within the crystal ball, which Dark Matter had trouble making eye contact with. “If you were to ask anyone, this sort of thing made you lose it a long time ago.” He said with a straight face, evident that Fudoushi wasn’t joking for a change. “It explains your hatred of religious groups at the very least. Such is what made you lose everything you had in life… isn’t that right, Ikuri?”

The urge to lunge at this decayed sorcerer was rising, Dark Matter felt like strangling him more than ever. “If you are here to only taunt me, then don’t bother heeding my words. If there is anyone you consider family, then tell them to flee. To another universe if possible. There is not enough time, and I am sure that I cannot stop it, even if I tried.” The psychedelic imagery began to fade from the crystal ball, indicating that there was nothing more to reveal. “You held that girl close, I know,” Dark Matter continued, “but do not make the same mistake I did. Doing something for a person you love is foolish.”

“Person I love?” Fudoushi questioned, rolling his eyes in thought. “You mean Warle? She’s like a child to me, that’s a bit different from your situation, and I doubt warning her has any destructive consequences since—”

“You moron,” Dark Matter groaned, “I am speaking of the woman with green hair, what did you say her name was? I don’t care to remember either way, but you see what I’m getting at. You said it yourself, you believe we have things in common, that’s probably one of them, even if you are completely selfish!” He snapped, pointing a bony finger at Fudoushi’s rotting face. Dark Matter didn’t dare touch even an inch of Fudoushi’s disgusting skin, knowing it would probably get stuck on his fingertip.

Fudoushi’s gaze was fixated on Dark Matter. Unmoving, wearing a blank expression, which the mage was unnerved by. Fudoushi was a bit unpredictable, and while Dark Matter could not die, he did not exactly want to go through any traumatizing illusions. He was uncomfortable, and wanted to back away, but felt frozen in this position. “Fae,” Fudoushi murmured, “she is my student. I could never think of her in such a way. I do not have the same desires that burden you, understand?”

Silence was the response, which Fudoushi took as a yes, since Dark Matter wouldn’t be the type to tune that out. “Good boy, Ikuri.” Fudoushi teased, patting Dark Matter on the head before pulling away from him. “I’ll get word out there as fast as I can.” Fudoushi said, making his way over to the door, “I’ll see you again soon enough.” Dark Matter grunted at his words, which made Fudoushi stop in his tracks.

They stared at each other one final time, Fudoushi trying to pry the wooden door open with his tentacles. “You only pretend to hate me,” Fudoushi stated, “because I remind you of someone you know.”

Sliding away, Dark Matter waited for the door to close behind Fudoushi. Once the rotting sorcerer did exactly that, nothing but darkness accompanied the mage, which he had always been used to. He began to feel his necklace, caressing the crescent moon accessory that was attached.

A part of him wanted to yank it off and destroy it, if only because of the memories it carried, ones that kept him restless. 

* * *

 

Months after being recruited to the young witch’s group of outcasts, Ikuri had gone out to town with her. Wish had a reason for doing this, saying there was something that a friend was holding onto for her, and she wanted Ikuri to have it. There was something different about Wish today, and Ikuri could easily notice what it was, only having to look at her once.

“That’s um, a very lovely necklace you’re wearing.” Ikuri spoke, pointing at the jewelry around Wish’s neck. It had a beautiful, bright red gem at the center of it, matching the beads in Wish’s hair quite nicely. “Did you buy it from somewhere in this town?” For whatever reason, Ikuri now felt himself looking away from Wish, feeling a little awkward for staring.

She nodded, happily humming in response. “I’m glad you noticed! I got something for you as well when I was here, but I asked my friend to hold onto it for me. He should be right over in that tent.” Making sure not to pay any mind to the looks they were being given, Wish and Ikuri walked over towards a grey tent. Inside were several decorative statues, vases, and pitchers made out of clay. The only person there was a boy, appearing to be around Wish’s age, having golden hair tied into a braid.

“Hey dummy," Wish snapped, "get your head out of the clouds!” Ikuri was startled at first, until he saw that Wish was referring to the boy. Even knowing that, it still wasn’t like her to address someone in such a way. “You better have not lost the present I bought for Ikuri, I don’t trust you with things so you can goof off with your pots, do I?”

Wish said it with such a cheery expression, that it made the merchant smile. “Sorry Wish, I think I misplaced it after all. Maybe I dropped it in one of the jars I made.” The boy then started snickering, brushing off the insults like they were nothing. “Even worse, I bet I sold one the one that has your present inside. Talk about unlucky, huh?” In response, Wish lightly tapped him on the head with her broomstick. The two began laughing together, leaving Ikuri rather puzzled.

“You’re such a jerk, you know that? Quit kidding around.” Wish then turned to Ikuri, noticing that he appeared to be rather lost with how the two were playing with each other. “Ikuri, this is Clayton. He works here on his own, and is talented at creating beautiful art made from mere mud. He gets quite a bit of business from people in this town, despite him being our age.” As Clayton took out a box from behind his work table, he handed it to Wish, while keeping his eyes on Ikuri.

Rather than intimidated or unsure of the fortune teller, Clayton continued his friendly demeanor. “So you’re Ikuri? It’s nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard a lot of things from Wish. She’s one of my most frequent visitors, though she doesn’t like to admit it.” Once again, Wish tapped Clayton on the head with her broom. “But really, a friend of Wish is a friend of mine. You’re welcome to drop by if you want me to make something for you.” When Clayton suddenly offered his hand, Ikuri hesitated.

Hoping not to make the same mistake like the last time he did with Wish, Ikuri gently shook Clayton’s hand. Even though he worked with mud and paint, Clayton’s hand didn’t feel dry or dirty at all. It was likely that the boy probably wore gloves when he was working, but something felt off about this altogether. Why wasn’t this young man shunning Ikuri and Wish, like nearly anyone else would have? Clayton seemed very playful with Wish more than anything, and… it bothered Ikuri, but he couldn’t figure out why.

“Ikuri,” Wish said as she opened the box, “here, I got this for you.” Ikuri snapped out of his thoughts, bringing his attention back to what Wish was giving him. His eyes widened when he saw what the box contained: a golden, crescent moon accessory, which had a red jewel, much like the necklace Wish was wearing.

Handing the box to Ikuri, Wish took out the charm, hooking it onto the large necklace that Ikuri wore. “Isn’t this nice? Now we match! I saw it, and immediately thought of you.” Wish then held the crescent accessory, looking a tad concerned. “It’s not too heavy, is it?” Wish asked, worried that it was weighing down Ikuri’s neck.

“No, it’s quite fine. Not heavy for me at all.” Ikuri replied, adjusting his new piece of jewelry. “It’s wonderful… I love it, I shall cherish it always.” Much like when he made the mistake of trying to read Wish’s palm, Ikuri felt that his cheeks heat up. And exactly like before, he was lucky that the veil was hiding his shy face. Wish didn’t even notice it, not only because of the cloth which covered Ikuri’s mouth, but because she turned back to Clayton.

“As for you!” Wish started, pointing at Clayton’s chest. She had a serious expression, and Clayton appeared content as ever, knowing that Wish was joking around with her stern antics. “Thanks Clayton, I mean it. I knew I could trust you, even if you’re kind of a dweeb at times.” She then lightly poked him, leading to them laughing in unison. That’s what friends were for, Ikuri assumed. Friends, and nothing more with those two.

The gift he had gotten, Ikuri promised to himself that he would cherish it, just like how he believed his bond with Wish would never break. Nothing could separate them, not even the worst cataclysm, and Ikuri would make sure to protect her.

* * *

“Miss Fae?” Lala called out, knocking on the door. “Are you here, Miss Fae?” She yelled once more. Lala had not been able to find the teacher anywhere in the kindergarten building, Juju even saying that she had left a while ago. It was a bit rude to do so, but Lala peeked through the window. It seemed like nobody was home, much to Lala’s irritation. She was hoping to show off what she had learned to Fae, but the teacher wasn’t even around.

Perhaps Fae had gone out of town? The only way to find out— much as Lala didn’t want to— was to ask Barbara. Usually if Miss Fae went anywhere, it would be on Barbara’s behalf after all. An elderly lady like her wasn’t exactly a speedy walker, especially with the condition her hip was in. It was something that not even the strongest healing power could fix, which Barbara knew, being that she relied on a lot of white magic. Lala almost wondered if this was all an excuse so Fae or anyone else could run errands for Barbara.

Approaching her house, which wasn’t too far from Fae’s, Lala knocked on the door once more, hoping to find an answer. “Let yourself in.” Barbara barked, confirming that she was home. Lala was almost reluctant to bother her, knowing she might be in for a long lecture about older times. She opened the door and went inside, seeing Barbara putting away some dishes back into a glass cabinet. “Oh, it’s you. Well, what do you want? Don’t you kids have something better to do, or do you need me to help with your homework? Because that’s not what I’m here for.”

She might as well speak now, otherwise Barbara would soon be rambling. “Actually, I’m looking for Miss Fae. We were supposed to have a private lesson together after school, but I can’t find her at the Magic Kindergarten, or her house. Would you happen to know where she went, Miss Barbara?” Lala asked, hoping Barbara would give a straight answer, rather than derail.

There was a bit of a pause, as if Barbara was processing what Lala just said, before talking again. “She went to find some freakish, cult weirdos. I can’t tell you the reason why, I’m afraid. Best you be patient, and wait until she comes back.” After answering, Barbara noticed Lala’s attire. She only wore a red cape, but not much else, other than a red and white dress. “You’re becoming a sorceress, aren’t you? Shouldn’t you have more defensive gear, like that Arle girl did? You kids today are too reckless. What will happen if one day, you're thrown into a dangerous situation?”

Lala tried her hardest not to audibly groan at Barbara’s remarks. “One more thing, Miss Barbara, have you heard from Camus lately? I figured he had graduated, and started fending off whatever monsters threaten the Magician’s Village, but has he stopped by at all?” Barbara glanced back at Lala, looking completely lost. “You know, from kindergarten? He was a senior to Arle and I? I just want to catch up with him.” Again, Barbara could only stare at her blankly. Lala didn’t quite understand why Barbara was reacting in such a way, before figuring it was best to give up on asking the elder sorceress. “Alright, if you don’t know where he is, you could have just said so. I’ll leave you alone now.”

Barbara just kept staring off into space, only blinking once Lala had closed the door on her way out. “That child,” Barbara grumbled, “she’s learning illusions, isn’t she?” Moving away from the cabinet so she could stare out the window, Barbara watched Lala walk away. “History really does repeat itself after all.”

The most that Barbara could hope, was that Fae wouldn’t dare turn into another Fù Zhé. There wasn’t a high chance that she would, but it still concerned her.

* * *

 

Standing there before a large, red frog, who was defeated and covered in Puyo, Doppelgänger Arle began to step away. “I was only giving you a message, from Tautau.” She explained, while the large frog began to croak. “It wouldn’t be my business, but I believe you owed him something, did you not, Muhoho? Shady tactics could lead to you and Nohoho losing quite an amount of customers.”

Once it was all over, Daemon proceeded to follow her. It was pretty amusing to watch “Arle” talk down to her opponents, even if that was where the doppelgänger’s cruel streak started to show. It wasn’t like the Demon Servant noticed or cared, as she was the closest thing to protection he had right now, since he couldn’t really go anywhere with the fear of those cultists tracking him down. Doppelgänger Arle didn’t seem to mind either, so long as Daemon didn’t get in her way.

She began making her way back to the other merchants, Daemon and Fakebuncle accompanying her, unaware that she was being watched. A man in a ninja suit, joined by a woman with red roses in her blue, wavy hair, which were tied into pigtails. She wore a kimono as well, the color matching the roses, but the most striking thing about the latter were her dragon-like features. She had a tail, horns, and clawed feet with grey scales, making it easy for her to be picked out, compared to the ninja.

“My, my, Warle really did grow up fast, didn’t she?” The dragon woman giggled, eyeing the Demon Servant. “Her friend over there is pretty cute, for a beast! Don’t you think so, Hanzo?” The ninja, who had been looking around to see if anyone was watching them, felt his outfit tugged on by his partner.

Thinking the dragon woman was referring to Fakebuncle, the ninja glanced at the small rabbit creature, and chuckled. “Yeah, actually, that thing is pretty adorable. You think if we ask, Warle will let us hold him?” The dragon woman stopped staring, so she could jab the ninja’s gut with her elbow, making him grunt in pain.

“You idiot, I meant the demon, not Warle’s stupid pet.” The woman snapped, continuing to watch Doppelgänger Arle. “I swear, each time we’re asked to split up and look around, I always get stuck with you. Why can’t Behemoth be the one to babysit? She always has to follow the boss around!” The dragon woman began complaining, quietly slinking over as Doppelgänger Arle started to leave. She hoped to confront the doppelgänger without causing a scene, which may prove to be a little difficult.

Doppelgänger Arle was no fool, and the dragon woman stood out with her bright colors. The ninja could more easily get by, provided he didn’t do something that would make him a complete klutz. They could just walk up to her and ask to speak in private, but the doppelgänger would push them off most likely, saying they should bother someone else. Even if the matter was serious, it wasn’t so simple to get Doppelgänger Arle to listen. The dragon woman viewed her as a “rebellious child” because of this, and most would agree with that thought.

And of course, the doppelgänger knew that she was being followed. The Demon Servant did not, thinking that they were simply returning to the house belonging to “Arle”, until the doppelgänger stopped in her tracks. “Go on back without me.” She said nonchalantly, her expression barely even shifting. “Make sure you remain unseen, I’ll catch up with you in a while. There is something I need to deal with.” Daemon looked back at her, rather surprised, but did what he was told. Arguing would probably lead to “Arle” being less hospitable.

She waited until the Demon Servant was out of her sights, making sure that no one else outside of the town was watching. Making snowflakes and shards of ice emerge from the palm of her hand, Doppelgänger Arle averted her eyes to a bush. “Chaos!” She called out, flinging an icy spell. The dragon woman jumped out of the way in time, not wishing for her hair or dress to be ruined, while the ninja was struck.

Yelping in pain, the ninja instantly collapsed from the cold, not being able to handle it. Doppelgänger Arle glared at the two of them, as did Fakebuncle. “Hanzo and Mizuchi Woman,” the doppelgänger sighed, “how unlucky I must be, to have you two stalking me all of the sudden. Yet Behemoth isn’t with you? What a shock, since you three are almost inseparable.” Mildly irritated that they were revealed so early on, the dragon woman began pouting.

“Oh please, neither of us are bothering you because we want to. Nor am I stuck with this loser because I enjoy it.” Prancing around the doppelgänger, Mizuchi Woman examined Fakebuncle. “Fudoushi says it’s important that at some point, you escape this world. His friend saw a rather unpleasant future, and you don’t want to lose the life you suddenly gained, right?” Doppelgänger Arle lightly winced, thinking Mizuchi was joking with her.

“What makes you think abandoning what I gained and still living is any better?” She scoffed, while Fakebuncle stuck his tongue out at Mizuchi Woman. “Moreover, who’s to say I can’t stop it? Whatever this calamity can be. Aren’t I the heroine in blue armor now?” Doppelgänger Arle bragged, smirking at them. “It would make more sense for me to save this world, not leave it behind. What even is this, that Fudoushi believes I cannot handle?”

Staggering to get back onto his feet, Hanzo began to tremble. “Most likely something beyond his own power, if he’s worried about you.” He stammered, hoping the doppelgänger would hear him. Mizuchi was tempted to kick him so he would get up faster, but held back. “You’re capable of some dimensional techniques with your Void Hole spell, aren’t you?” Hanzo asked, pulling his mask down, as he started to bite his fingernails. “Instead of the world, save your friends maybe, along with yourself. Isn’t that heroic enough for the actual Arle?”

Doppelgänger Arle laughed, patting Fakebuncle on the head. “What nonsense. I wouldn’t care about that sort of thing—”

“I guess you aren’t anything like Arle then, despite how hard you try.” Mizuchi mocked, followed by Hanzo gasping and becoming defensive. “You won’t bother with others? Are you sure? What about that demon following you around? You’re the real Arle now, according to Fudoushi, so do you think she would do something as stupid as go up against something she can’t handle? Or would she save those who would possibly be hurt, including herself?”

Turning her back to Doppelgänger Arle, whose fists were clenched out of anger, Mizuchi Woman began to walk away. “But hey, you do you… Come on now, Hanzo. We did what we could. She’s a grown girl, so she can decide what to do on her own.” All the ninja could do was watch his companion strut off, without a care in the world after saying such a thing. He glanced back at Doppelgänger Arle, who was faking a smile, gritting her teeth, no doubt ready to set those two on fire.

He gulped, and quickly tagged after Mizuchi Woman. Hopefully, in spite of Mizuchi’s words, Doppelgänger Arle would at least think it over. Hanzo would have tried to speak with her on a reasonable level, but the sad fact was, Mizuchi’s method was one that would be the most effective. There probably wasn’t any other way to break through the doppelgänger’s wall, unless they exploited her weaknesses.

And Mizuchi Woman knew what those weaknesses were, far too well. Such was the benefit of knowing the doppelgänger as a child.

* * *

 

She heard a thump outside, one that woke her up. It had been hours since Lala had tried to search for Miss Fae, with no luck, as she decided to wait until the next day. Now, it seemed like Lala couldn’t get any sleep either. With a groan, Lala got up from the bed, dragging herself over to a window, to see who was making all that noise. She had a right to complain, since she had to get up early for school in the morning, and Lala was already rather frustrated with not being able to find Fae.

Opening the window doors, Lala couldn’t see it too well in the dark, but there were wagons carrying bags, which the source of all the noise. Along with those were several hooded figures, appearing to be rather suspicious. Lala planned on shouting at them, but before she could, she noticed that one of the bags started moving.

“This one is still awake,” a hooded figure exclaimed, “which one of you had the club last?”

“I… left it near the waterfall, I apologize.” A man spoke, sounding rather guilty. “Shall I go bring it back, or find an alternative? We can’t have this one wriggling around.” He was afraid that the others would lynch him for the mistake, but their leader only sounded sympathetic.

“No worries, my brother. Please, hurry back to the waterfall and find it. If not, then a large rock might work just as fine.” Urging him to go on, the hooded man scurried away to where the waterfall was. Rather concerned by these shady acts, which looked as if they involved kidnapping, Lala closed the window and backed away, wondering what she should do about this, now that she was more awake.

Letting them get away with something like this was obviously not an option. She should act, but in a sneaky way. Sure, Lala was no adventurer like Arle, but she was going to protect the Magician’s Village from this sort of activity, if no one else would at this hour. Opening up her closet, Lala removed her pajamas, replacing it with her favorite dress and red cape. She then paused, recalling what Barbara said about defensive gear and dangerous situations, seeing a dusty set of white armor before her.

Lala carefully pulled it out of the closet, clicking it around her body, as the white armor covered her left shoulder and breast. It was very much like the one Arle had, and obviously had not been used much. It was rather tight, but Lala figured it would be better than nothing for now. She had never done something such as this before, she didn’t know what would happen upon acting out of curiosity. She could only hope that the spells Lala had learned from Miss Fae would come in handy.

Heading out the door, which was thankfully not in the sight of those hooded figures, Lala watched the one man run off where the waterfall was. Quietly, she followed him, trying to come up with a plan on the way. She knew how to turn into animals and monsters, which might also work if Lala disguised herself as this man, and returned to those strange characters. They would most likely be fooled by it, and Lala would be able to find out what was going on with them, without arousing any suspicion.

It worked in her head at least, but there were dozens of scenarios which made her worry about things going wrong. Even now, just following this man, Lala had to be careful. At one point, the man looked behind him, forcing Lala to jump behind a tree. There was nothing but silence, as Lala could only hear crickets chirping. “Who goes there?” The man called out, only to get no response.

He knew he was being followed, and that something was there. Not showing any fear, the man approached the tree, hoping to catch his stalker. Lala began to panic, chanting a spell to herself, praying she wouldn’t be heard and that the man would not catch on to what she was doing. He came closer, curious as to who was tracking him down, peeking over to the backside of the tree.

A fox, which had been attempting to burrow under the tree, stared at the man, before quickly running away. The man was puzzled for a moment, then he began lightly chuckling to himself. The fox must have found a rabbit under the tree, and was trying to get a midnight meal. He felt a little bad now, for ruining the fox’s chances at a quick bite, and continued making his way over to the waterfall.

The man didn’t once think that said “fox” would beat him to the waterfall. Nor would it have crossed his mind that indeed, he was being followed by a person the entire time. Once the man got there, he would soon realize his mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuugh sorry this chapter took so long. I think I may have to start limiting it to once every two weeks, at least until summer comes...
> 
> Well, at least the plot is actually kind of moving now.


	6. The Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lala learns what happened to her teacher, witnessing the existence of unspeakable creatures. She isn't the only one that will soon find out that Fae isn't safe…

He was knocked out cold, now lying on his back. Lala stood over his body, the club in her hands. She didn’t have the best physical strength, so she had to whack the man over the head twice, just to make sure he was out. Hopefully, he would still be alive, as Lala wasn’t inclined to check his pulse. Lala looked over every detail, waving her hand over the man’s body, as sparks of magic came from her fingertips.

Scanning over each and every part of the man, Lala touched her fingertips together, then pulled them back apart. “Illusion!” Lala chanted, making a glow surround her body. Within just a couple of seconds, Lala copied the man’s exact image. His cloak, his facial features, his posture, height, everything. Just to make sure that the man would not catch up with her quickly upon waking up, Lala removed his actual cloak, and discarded it inside of a hole that was in a tree.

With all of that finished, she took the club, and made her way over to where the other strange characters were. Best outcome was that none of them would be able to tell the difference between the real deal, and a disguise made of magic. Lala tried to walk, acting like him, but in a way that seemed natural. It took a short moment of practice, then Lala moved on, once she felt confident in her imitation. She was still nervous, unsure what would happen if her act was revealed, or what to do if such a thing happened.

For now though, it seemed perfect. It was too late to turn back now, as Lala drew closer to the cloaked figures, who were waiting. “Ah, you have returned, my brother?” Lala handed the club to one of the characters, who raised it over the squirming bag. Lala tried not to wince, as she watched the bagged victim get knocked unconscious. “Thank you. I hope that this did not damage our blessed participant, otherwise Brother F would be furious with us.”

None of them noticed a difference so far, and as the wagons began moving again, Lala joined them. Once they had arrived at a certain destination, Lala would try to free whoever these kidnapped victims were, provided some of them were still alive after being hit so hard.

… Didn’t Barbara mention that Miss Fae was seeking the aid of a cult? Would these happen to be said cultists? If they were, then Lala could finally have a lead as to where Miss Fae was, unless she went home after confronting them. But even with that, if they were doing something shady, Lala should find out what it is, and let her mentor know about such.

If it ended up being that they were harmless— which was a bit doubtful due to the wriggling bags— Lala could still have used this all as good practice for her magic. That was probably the best case scenario, and the safest result, but also the least likely with where this may be heading. Lala wasn’t even sure where they were going. It looked as if they were all traveling to another town, but Lala had not gone to places outside of the Magician’s Village too often.

Just where were they going to end up at?

* * *

 

It was late, but Wizard didn’t care. He wanted to stay up, and watch the stars. If he saw one falling, Wizard would know that his sister was messing around somewhere, and he could challenge her. He believed he could defeat her, since he knew that he was the better magician.

All of it was a state of denial, one which he couldn’t bring himself to admit. Wizard was actually worried about his sister, afraid she would never come back and they wouldn’t bicker anymore. At one point, years ago, when they were just children, Wizard had yelled that he wished his sister would just disappear forever. Was it a belated wish that was just suddenly granted? Because now he felt that becoming stronger was meaningless, even when it was honest progress rather than stealing power.

Wizard kept thinking back to that childhood instance, along with the one time he walked into the aftermath of a drinking festival. A skeleton was there, still guzzling down whatever alcohol was left, a woman in a rabbit suit hanging her arm around him. The skeleton cried to her how he once shouted at his brother, saying he should “go away” for a while. Now, the skeleton soon found that his brother went missing, and no one seems to know where he had went. The rest was all just drunken blubbering and sobbing, the skeleton believing it was his fault that it happened, which made Wizard’s stomach drop.

Before he could wonder about anything else, Wizard heard a loud thumping noise, as if something passed over a large rock. He got up, and peeked over the grassy hillside, watching several people pulling wagons along a dirt path. It was a little difficult to see who it was from afar in the dark, and Wizard did not want to risk making a scene, so he tried his hardest to get a good look, without lighting what was beyond his reach.

They were all wearing cloaks it looked like, but again, it was hard for Wizard to tell. “The cultists from before?” Wizard questioned, remembering when he had met them the first time. It definitely appeared to be them, and Wizard wasn’t really certain if anyone else would dress in such a way besides them, so it was the only conclusion he could draw to. He was curious as to what it was they were up to at this time of the night, slowly stepping closer, so he could get a better view.

Bags were being carried away, Wizard was inclined to pester them, but with the amount of numbers amongst the cult, it would probably be a death wish. Wizard had heard about what happened to the vampires too, so he did not want to be suddenly decapitated like the Count was. How people celebrated such a gory accomplishment was beyond Wizard’s understanding. He should just go back home already, since it was far past midnight.

Sitting on his staff like his sister often did with her broom, Wizard began flying away, cautiously making sure that none of the Deep Circle members had seen him. 

* * *

Lala had no idea what she was witnessing inside of the cave. Her mind almost couldn’t handle it.

It was one thing to be encountering monsters, whether they seemed cute and cuddly, or were disgustingly horrific, this was beyond her usual imagination. The Night-gaunts were swingings their tails, perching themselves on top of rocks. Formless creatures, appearing like fleshy amoebas, fifteen feet tall and constantly shifting in place. Inky shadows with tendrils, which were feeling their way around, sucking dust off of the floor and devouring it. Penguin-like beasts, flicking their tongues out, appearing to have no eyes, only useless slits, indicating that they could not see.

Fish men, hopping on their feet which were that of an amphibian, began tearing apart the rope around the sacks with their strong hands. They began croaking, as if they were laughing, especially once the bag was opened up. Inside of the sack was an unconscious woman, appearing to be around Fae’s age. Lala couldn’t help but gasp, and then cringe, once she inhaled the horrible air which filled this cavern. She couldn’t flip out right now, as much as Lala wanted to just scream at the top of her lungs. Lala had to be brave, and get to the bottom of this, since she had dug herself into this hole, and only wished to go further.

She had to do it. For Fae, and to save these people if she could. While the amphibious men prepared to carry the woman away, they were stopped by the cult leader, who had emerged from the darkness. “Ah, not now, my Deep Ones. We must determine which of the blessed ones will become consorts, and which will become sacrifices.” He said, carrying a basket filled with strawberries. “If you are impatient, the Outer Gods will be displeased. They may want one of these blessed people for themselves.” The amphibious men made a growling croak, leaving the woman back near the wagon.

“Brother F, which of the blessed ones shall be the sacrifice?” A cloaked woman asked, gesturing towards the sacks. “Have the Outer Gods desired one of them in particular, so we could gain aid of the Great Old Ones?” As Brother F glanced to a certain sack in the wagons, he slowly began to turn his attention directly at Lala. She stood absolutely still, awaiting an order from Brother F, since Lala had to remain in character for as long as possible. It wasn’t like she could win a fight against all of the beasts which lurked in this cavern.

“My good man,” Brother F spoke, “please expose yourself.” Lala did as she was instructed, the illusion spell making her appear to be the man that she had knocked unconscious. The other members of the Deep Circle seemed confused, but none of them questioned it, not even Lala. His stare continued, forcing Lala to stand completely still. She didn’t dare do something that would set off Brother F, or the beasts around him. Lala was brave enough to get this far, and witness the abominations inside this cave, she wasn’t going to be so easily startled.

He drew closer to Lala, who was rotating her wrist under the long sleeves of the cloak. No one could see it, but Brother F instantly reached for her left arm, pulling it towards him. Lala was startled, but remained motionless, praying that he was only examining her further. The façade broke however, once Brother F began twisting her arm, forcing Lala to wince in pain. “A user of illusion magic, I see.” Brother F said, waving a gloved hand in front of Lala, depleting Lala’s disguise, which revealed her identity to the Deep Circle. “Your attempts were impressive, mage, but I am able to distinguish what is reality, and what isn’t.” Brother F said, gesturing so that the amphibious beasts would hold Lala in place. Lala struggled, trying to use another magic spell, but felt the large hands and disgustingly long fingers cover her mouth.

Brother F just kept staring at her, then took out some flowers with strawberries on them. Red and white, just like Lala’s outfit. Brother F gently stuck the flowers inside of her armor, as Lala kept wriggling around. “I bless you for your efforts,” he spoke, “your appearance reminds me of a strawberry quite a bit.” He then stepped back, pointing in a different direction. “Deep Ones, take her away and lock her up. Make her unconscious if you must.” The amphibious creatures followed his word, holding Lala tightly as they took her away.

She tried to kick, but the Deep Ones had a strength that was unmatched, all Lala could do was shout at them. “I just want to know where Miss Fae went! Where is she? What did you do with—”

“At ease, my strawberry-dressed intruder.” Brother F muttered, looking in the other direction, away from her. “She was the one that the Outer Gods wanted. That teacher will help convince them to aid us. No longer will she be endangered by this world of monsters, who would kill for their own satisfactions. Your world will be renewed and safe, like a paradise, all thanks to her.” He explained in a cryptic manner.

“If you want to rid of monsters, why are you letting these ones in your domain?” Lala retorted, sarcasm dripping in her voice.

“Monsters,” Brother F murmured, “I see no monsters here. These pure beings, such as the Deep Ones… you think they are mere beasts, that consume for selfish gain?” He sounded almost offended, and wanted to rant further, but held his tongue. Brother F knew there wasn’t any point in wasting his breath on a girl that shared her views with the majority. Her mind was strong enough to comprehend them, yes, but not strong enough to accept them as superior beings.

In due time, Brother F could convert this strawberry-dressed girl to the Deep Circle perhaps, if his superiors approved of such an idea. The Deep Ones dragged Lala away to a prison cell, blindfolding and gagging her in the process. It wasn’t as if that girl could do anything that would foil what the Outer Gods wanted, so Brother F had no reason to worry. The only concern he had, is if someone would be easily tricked by an illusion. No one would be foolish enough to fall for such a thing though. 

* * *

He slid in through the cracked open window, remaining small until he hopped onto the floor. Fudoushi had asked Behemoth to wait for him, and keep watch for any sort of activity, while he woke up Fae. A simple enough task, provided Fae did not begin to panic at the sight of her former mentor. Perhaps a little illusion, making himself appear to be his old self, would make Fae more comfortable. She would be tired enough to believe she was dreaming, no doubt.

Fudoushi used his tentacles to feel around the home, lightly tapping a doorknob while slowly moving forward. Carefully and quietly, he opened the door, seeing the shape of a bed. He remembered how during some instances, early in the morning, he would enter Fae’s room to wake her up, so she would get ready for school back then. These were usually after the nights he stayed over, to help out with lessons. Fudoushi recalled the scent of it, filled with lavender to relieve stress. The scent wasn’t there like it normally would be though, indicating Fae had not used a candle at the end of the day, which she used to do quite often. 

He could not tell if this was something she no longer needed to do, because the job of a teacher wasn’t as stressful as being a student, or if something was off. He felt it might have been the latter, as something about the house felt… empty and depressing. Perhaps Fae was carrying sorrow, because of what her former mentor had done? It would make sense, and Fudoushi occasionally thought about it. Fudoushi really tried not to think of those times, much less bring them up, otherwise Behemoth go on a rant on how horrible Fudoushi’s colleagues at the school were. Especially for what they did to his body. Behemoth was a bit of a suck-up in that regard, no doubt wanting to flatter her master, since she was his right hand.

“Fae,” he whispered, casting an illusion over his body. The small bit of light peered through the window, making Fudoushi see his old self in the mirror. It was all just a magic trick, one he didn’t like using this too often, since he preferred to let go of his old self and accept the monster he was. “Fae, wake up. I know you do not wish to hear or see the likes of me, but this is…”

He placed his hand on her bed, and began feeling it. Up and down on the left side, where he knew Fae would always lie. Not Fae herself, not her warmth, but a cool spot, indicating she had not been in bed at all tonight. Fudoushi quickly undid the disguising spell, alarmed that she wasn’t present. He questioned where Fae might have gone, but for once in his undead life, Fudoushi began to feel something he had not felt in a very long time.

_Fear._ That’s what it was. Fudoushi, one who could create terrifying illusions, was actually showing a sign of fear. Fear of some uncertain fate which could take his student.

No, he couldn’t just stand there. Fudoushi had to find Dark Matter, since he was the only one that could locate Fae with his divination. That’s what Fudoushi hoped for, otherwise he would be searching the land for his student. Never had he felt such a rush of panic, and the undead sorcerer couldn’t figure out why he was in such a state. Fudoushi didn’t want anyone else to touch Fae. If she was in danger, at the hands of anyone, it should be him. That is what he had told himself, but he was not sure if that was the truth of it.

“Master?” Behemoth questioned, watching Fudoushi climb out of the window with his tentacles, not caring if he bumped himself on head a few times. “What happened? Was she in there? Or did she already run off with—”

“There’s no time, Behemoth. We have to find Dark Matter.” He stated in a serious tone, not even bothering to joke around with his underling. “Come along, we’re going back to the Dark Forest.” The two began shuffling out of the Magician’s Village, completely unseen in the night. Behemoth did not understand why her superior was acting so strangely, even when he was trying his hardest to keep up the façade, he was definitely a little off compared to how Fudoushi normally was.

What happened to Fae? Where was she? Did it have to do with what Dark Matter predicted?

* * *

After hours, she finally began to open her eyes. Her mouth was dry, feet and hands had fallen asleep, vision being rather blurry. Fae could see a crescent moon hanging in the night sky, and felt a cool breeze brush against her hair. She could barely speak, her throat feeling scratchy from how dry she was. Fortunately, her wish for water was answered, as a ladle began pouring some in her mouth. The dusty feel was washed away, clearing Fae’s throat, allowing her to sigh in relief.

“Easy now,” Brother F whispered softly, “here, you need the energy to stay awake. I wish for you to be aware, so we can speak of your purpose in this life.” He began slicing a strawberry into small pieces, pushing them into Fae’s mouth. She was absolutely confused, but accepted the nourishment being given to her, unable to even think about it being possibly poisoned. Slowly chewing the bits of fruit, Fae swallowed them, savoring the sweet taste. It would be the last snack that she would have, and she did not even realize it just yet.

After a couple of minutes, Fae became more aware of her surroundings. She was tied to a pole, unable to move her arms and legs, looking over the horizon. Fae could see Brother F, along with several other members of the Deep Circle, surrounded by unspeakable beasts. Such monsters which Fae did not dare lay her eyes on for more than five seconds. “Brother F,” she spoke, “just what in the world is going on? What do you plan on doing? What are these creatures!?” Fae questioned, twisting her hands around. “I asked for you to help me with a beast, considering you had eliminated those in the Vampire’s Castle, but you surround yourself with—”

“These are no demons, Fae. A misconception that all people make. Those who are members of the Deep Circle, will immediately realize that they are a much higher life form.” Brother F explained, as another cult member handed him a blade. “The Night-gaunts, they were the ones who aided us in ridding of the vampires. We could not have done it without them. It was all thanks to the Great Old Ones, who dispensed the Night-gaunts to help us. I could not reveal them to the public, because they would think the same thing you just did… unfortunately, their help will not be enough for what you requested, and what the Outer Gods want.” He slowly began to raise the blade up to Fae’s neck, making her eyes widen.

She had to act, and she knew exactly what to do in this situation. 

“Hold on!” A voice yelled, coming from below the mountainside. “I think I hear something, maybe Miss Fae is there.”

It was followed by other voices. “Is she in danger? We have to bring her back!”

Various members of the Deep Circle began showing concern, except for Brother F. “My brother,” a woman spoke, “I believe that someone from outside is coming close. Should we all hold them off, until the sacrifice is finished?” She asked, willing to do whatever she was told. Brother F did not flinch at the turn of events, or the words he heard, not even for a second.

“Illusions.” He replied, startling Fae. “She is using them to fool us. I can tell. Such a thing is why the Outer Gods desire your blood and soul, Miss Fae. They think you are a threat, stable enough to witness the creator, so they want you to ascend. It’s such a blessing, to be the one that the Outer Gods want to take out of this horrible world.” Brother F slowly began dragging the flat end of the blade against Fae’s neck, his lack of sinister tone making it more unnerving, as if he genuinely thought this was a wondrous miracle. “Your student, she was here looking for you. Had she been as strong as you were with your magic, then the Outer Gods would have desired her as well.”

“Lala?” Fae gasped, feeling the blade nearly cut her. “You… you didn’t hurt her, did you? Please, do whatever you like with me, but spare her. She is still in school!” Fae shouted, nearly spitting in Brother F’s hidden face. “I wanted to at least pass down what I was taught, let her go on with her knowledge!” Brother F stopped what he was doing, the first part echoing in his mind.

“Her name is Lala,” he mumbled, “I will do well to remember her name… Miss Fae, do you see what lies beyond here?” Brother F moved out of the way, just a bit, keeping the blade at Fae’s neck. “Under the earth, just across from here, is the home of the Great Old Ones. They had once held this world, but have fallen into a deep slumber. Since then, it’s been rampant with inferior, selfish creatures.” Brother F explained, sounding a bit mournful over those events. “But then, the Outer Gods called me, wishing for the Deep Circle to release them. In order to do that, a worthy soul must rest, and ascend with the Outer Gods, while the Great Old Ones reshape the world once more. With your life heading to the center of the universe, the Great Old Ones shall rise from their city.” He finally paused, continuing to stare off into the horizon, thinking about what may happen afterwards.

Fae did not even bother to wait for what Brother F would say next. “You’re mad,” she whispered, “I knew something was off about you, but I did not once think it was to this extent. You have killed, just to summon otherworldly beings that are better than us!? Would you kill yourself if you had to? Or your family?” Fae questioned, as other members of the Deep Circle became agitated with her. He did answer her, as Fae continued ranting to him. “Something is wrong with you, clearly. You’re the kind of person who needs to lay down and take their medicine, so nonsense such as this won’t happen!”

_ Medicine… _

Brother F tensed up.

_ Nonsense… _

He did not bother explaining his actions any further. Fae had managed to strike a nerve, one which would cut everything short. Brother F didn’t just slit her throat, as he originally intended. Instead, he jabbed the entire blade through Fae’s neck, piercing her jugular. Other members of the Deep Circle drew back. They were used to sacrifices, but Brother F lashing out in a violent manner was something new to them. The teacher had definitely managed to bother him, which resulted in a painful death.

“We are done here.” Brother F sighed, pulling the blade out and dropping it at his feet. “Let us depart, we must witness the release of the Great Old Ones. I do not wish to be near this sacrifice any longer. She shall ascend, without my comforts.” He started walking away, knowing that all eyes were on him as he moved. “Next evening, we shall come back for the one named Lala. The Deep Ones will make sure she does not escape.”

Fae did not scream in pain at what had just been done to her, all she could do was stare at Brother F as he left the area. Her eyes were heavy, but she refused to pass on just yet. If Lala was here, then Fae had the will to live for just a little bit longer. She may not live long enough to see her former mentor, but Fae was going to try to at least see her student one last time, so she could tell the truth.

A truth that Fae had kept from Lala, for years.

* * *

The sun began to shine on Wizard’s face. Morning had come, yet he still felt tired. That’s what he got for staying up so late at night. If he didn’t get up now though, Wish would scold him for being a lazy boy. He got out of the bed and rubbed his eyes, making his way over to the kitchen. Wizard expected to be greeted by his grandmother, like every other day, but only Clayton was sitting there.

“Morning, gramps.” Wizard greeted, sounding groggy. “Do you know where grandma went?” A part of Wizard thought he knew the answer that was coming, as Clayton stopped chopping up vegetables.

“Searching for your sister again.” Which was exactly what Wizard expected to hear. “Your grandmother had another nightmare. The same one she frequently has, where she’s reminded of your mother.” Clayton lowered his gaze as he spoke, as did Wizard. “It made her panic so she went out to find Witch. Once she calms down, she will return, just like she has before. Until then, I can prepare you some breakfast.” Clayton tried to smile, forgetting about what he had just mentioned. “I got some of those green apples you like a lot. I figured you could have that along as a side-snack with this omelette I’m making. You need to be filled with as much energy as you can in the morning!”

“Do you want any help with that?” Wizard asked, in which Clayton moved aside in response, allowing Wizard to help him. “I have a question, gramps,” he spoke again, grabbing a knife to chop some peppers with. “Have you seen any weird activity going on lately? With any religious, cult fanatics or whatever?” He then pushed the diced peppers alongside some tomatoes, which Clayton had just finished cutting up.

The older mage paused, stroking his beard. “Why, no. That would be the sort of thing a former friend of ours used to keep track of.” Clayton replied, chopping some mushrooms next. “He was very concerned for Wish's well being, thinking she was targeted by religious groups, and thought something bad would come out of them one day. Needless to say, Wish and him aren’t friends anymore, because he was being irrational and destructive. That is what she tells me, at least.”

Wizard nodded, and moved on to slicing a block of cheese. “I’m asking only because there were these weirdos called the Deep Circle, and they looked like they weren’t up to anything good.” Wizard explained, nearly cutting his finger by accident. “They were carrying off sacks in a wagon in the middle of the night. I heard in a nearby town, that they had slain all of the residents of the Vampire Castle. Like, actually killed all of them, as opposed to taming them. And their leader… he somehow knew what sort of powers I carried.” Clayton was actually showing quite an amount of interest in what his grandson had to stay, stopping so that he could listen to everything.

Normally, Clayton was the carefree one, but something about this was mildly concerning. A whole castle, which contained vampires and other demons, were disposed of so easily by a cult? There were moments where Wizard would stretch the truth, but he sounded completely serious for a change. “I’ll have to see what Wish thinks about this,” was all Clayton could say. If anyone had a more serious response to a situation such as this, it would be her. Especially since Wish and Ikuri had been such close friends.

* * *

Begrudgingly, Lala chewed on the strawberries that Brother F had left for her. He placed a bowl of them inside of the prison cell, near the intruder, requesting that no one fall for her magic tricks. He would be back by the time it was evening, and recommended that Lala should not eat all of the fruit at once, otherwise, she would be left with nothing. To make it even worse, Brother F said that his gods were sparing her, and he offered Lala to join the Deep Circle. In response, Lala spat in his direction, demanding to know what happened to Fae, but his only answer was that Miss Fae had ascended. After that short conversation, he left the prisoner where she was now.

First off, Lala didn’t understand what this guy’s fascination with anything related to strawberries was all about. Lala wasn’t about to complain, since this was about the freshest food she could probably get here. Everything in the cave smelled like anchovies, or some kind of rotting fish, as evident by the Deep Ones walking around, grumbling and chewing on stuff. Her legs and arms were chained to the floor, but she was able to move around inside of the cell, just not all the way to the door. It had been a while, hunger overcame her, and Lala eventually caved in to how appetizing the strawberries appeared.  They weren’t tainted in any way at the very least, and yet, Lala still felt as if she was going to die if she did not get out of there fast enough. There wasn’t any magic she could use to break the chains, and Brother F informed everyone of how Lala could use illusions, so no point in making it seem like she wasn’t there. 

“You’re the lady that knocked out my dad.” One hooded figure spoke, appearing to be smaller than all of the others, having the voice of a young girl. “You should accept Brother F’s offer, and join us all in the Deep Circle. Or you can ascend, like your teacher did… if you don’t, you’ll be given to the Deep Ones. They jump at the chance of having a new bride.”

Lala didn’t get any further information beyond that, as the girl walked away from the prison cell. It sounded absolutely disgusting to her, Lala did not intend on becoming a wife for one of those amphibious men with literal fish faces. What made this worse, was how it wasn’t just Lala, there were most likely other women being forced into this situation. It was either that, or death, neither of which were favorable outcomes. What infuriated her even further was the fact that Brother F made a child join his cause.

Although, perhaps that little tidbit had a use. What would Arle do in this sort of situation? Lala couldn’t break through the rusty chains, so maybe she needed to rely on someone else's strength. Seeing a Deep One walk past, Lala grinned, recalling how strong they were when she was being taken away. Carefully, she planned what her next moves would be. It wasn’t like her, but if Arle could do it, Lala knew that she could do it too…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wizard's parts are honestly the hardest to write. Anything involving Brother F and Lala is usually fun on the other hand.
> 
> After the next chapter, ah… that's going to be the one where everything goes a little nuts.
> 
> Sorry if this chapter is a bit of a mess, I'm rather tired. Honestly, I should make these shorter, so they're less of a pain to read over. ;;


	7. The Ache of Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lines between reality and illusions are shown for Lala, while truth and lies understood by Warle.

When he was brought in, he could only hear the words repeating and ringing in his head.

_“They didn’t want him, so they left him here.”_

Sometimes, it would be repeated in passing conversations about him, or in his own mind. He couldn’t remember if they said that they loved him. He couldn’t remember if they bothered to give him a name. He couldn’t remember if they had ever held his hand.

He was an accident. A mistake that wasn’t wanted, and wasn’t loved. If his own family couldn’t love him, then who could? No one. That’s who. He was an accident and nothing more, one that nobody would want to keep. That’s all he could get from that, as other children were able to find a new family.

* * *

Breaking free was more nerve-racking than Lala anticipated. It could have easily backfired and a Deep One could have taken her away to be a bride, but somehow, it went exactly as planned. The Deep One unlocked her prison cell, caving in to his desires after being tormented by Lala, then tried to yank her away from the chains. It was rather painful, since the cuffs were tightly secured around Lala’s wrists and ankles, but the Deep One managed to break the rusty chains with his strength, not realizing it was just a ploy.

With the magic she had learned, Lala made the Deep One start to feel heavy, and before he could do anything else, he passed out. She was relieved that this all worked out, since Arle had once told her that she herself had done something like this to escape a dungeon. The Deep One didn’t use any keys to open the cell, so Lala was under the assumption that the doors had a different lock of some kind.

Lala was correct upon examining the other cells, which indeed, had a slide lock as opposed to something that would require a key. The only real issue would be, freeing the “blessed ones” who had been chained down like she was. Peeking inside one of the cells, Lala reassured the prisoner inside, a young woman. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I’ll get you all out of here. I need to find my teacher first though, then I'll figure out how to free you!” 

The prisoner sobbed, her voice sounding scratchy. “Please, hurry.” She muttered, curled up in the corner of her cell. Pitying the woman, Lala darted down the hallway, activating an illusion spell as she did, so she would not be easily caught. Since Brother F was not present, she imagined that no one else should be able to see past her disguise. Little did she realize, that there would be beasts that could identify her without using their eyes.

Once Lala passed through the prison area, appearing to most as nothing more than a fellow Deep One, she heard a gurgling sound. A fluid began dripping from the ceiling, Lala quickly noticed that it appeared to be drool, rather than some sort of cave water, and forced herself to look up at whatever horror was above.

Nothing. Nothing but a dreadful stench was there. Something had been on the cavern ceiling, but whatever was resting there and drooling, was suddenly gone. If nothing was there any longer, than Lala felt there was no need to worry, unless some abomination decided to alert everyone else that she was out of her prison. Lala took a few more steps forward, until she began hearing the gurgle again.

 

It was right behind her. 

Lala turned swiftly, to witness the creature which was floating in the air. It had no wings, but had a disgustingly twisted body. It didn't have any limbs, having several mouths and eyes were on its being instead. As much as Lala wanted to gag in horror, she could not drop her guard. At the very least, she had to try and get this monster away from her. Recalling the spells she had learned from Fae, Lala focused her power, her eyes flashing as she raised her hands at the monster. “Ongoku!” She shouted, creating a flash of light before the monster’s many eyes.

It recoiled, growled, and began to lower itself back to the ground. The spell must have worked, as the beast seemed almost sleepy. Fae told her that such an incantation would inflict drowsiness on a victim. Lala quickly followed it up to make the creature’s body heavier. “Goku!” She chanted while lifting the tips of her fingers, making symbols appear on them, as the beast collapsed onto the ground. It wiggled around at first, but then slowly settled down, as if falling asleep.

Lala could not risk it chasing after her, charging up her magic power as the monster started succumbing to slumber. She clenched her fists, then opened them back up, stretching her arms out to the beast. “O-o-ohn!” Lala stammered, indicating that she had increased the power of her magic spell. The beast was struck by magic, and let our horrible screeches from its many mouths. It began drooling from all of them, creating a trail as it squirmed. All Lala could do was watch, as it began deflating to nothing but hunk of flesh. 

It almost resembled the skin of a snake that had been shed, the eyes rolling up so only the whites could be seen. Lala finally broke her courageous character, gagging and gasping at the freak of nature that she had just fought. Brother F said that these were not monsters, but that was all Lala could see when it came to them, if not something worse. 

Anyone else would have given up and curled into a fetal position, too terrified to fight back. In fact, Lala probably would have done the same, if not for the fact she was a growing girl. She had to get out of here, so cowering would do nothing, and Lala had to at least try to rescue others. No one else would, as far as she was aware. Even if this took a heavy toll on her mental sanity, she would try to pull through. She thought of Arle and Camus, with how brave they were back then, trying to encourage herself to move forward.

“What was that noise?” A cultist yelled, able to hear the battle from afar. “It sounded like one of the Flying Polyps were harmed, we must aid them!” Lala didn’t even take her time to think about this any further. Instead, she ran through the corridors, unnoticed with her disguise still on. It was a relief that no one was trying to catch up with her, but members of the Deep Circle were still alerted by someone escaping, along with a Flying Polyp being disposed of. 

She had to figure out where her teacher was being kept, but Lala hadn’t the foggiest idea where Miss Fae could be, since she was not grouped in with the other prisoners, and the layout of this cavern was a little complex. If Lala tried dawdling around, then chances were that another one of those hideous monsters would come after her, somehow able to detect who she was, and that was only one of the better possibilities.

“Lala,” a voice called, “over here, hurry!”

It was… familiar, and Lala could see someone walk by. They had a a blue and red cape, which made Lala’s eyes widen. Immediately, she cased after the figure, which had somehow faded when she went around the corner. “Come on, Miss Fae needs us!” His voice echoed from afar, on the left side of the path, which had a set of stone stairs.

Was she imagining it? It wouldn’t be surprisingly, considering the predicament her mind was in right now, yet it sounded all too real. Could it truly be Camus, after all these years? Lala felt a boost of energy in her body, making her want to try to catch up with him. Mainly so she could yell at him for not talking to her for all of these years, or rescuing her sooner. The other reason would be so they could both save Fae, and stop these horrible cultists, together.

She didn’t care about the fact she was running so fast, or that her disguise wore off, or that heavy droplets of water from the ceiling were splashing against her hair. Her clothes were probably getting muddy right now, but none of it mattered. She was going to rescue Fae, with the help of Camus.

* * *

Lala could feel fresh, cool air hitting her body. No longer was she putting up with the disgusting, musty odor from the cave, as she reached the top of this home of bizarre rituals. The sun was out, several flies seemed to have picked up the scent of death, and Lala saw him there.

Camus, looking absolutely mortified, stunned to complete silence. He appeared to be only a bit older than Lala, but otherwise looked exactly as Lala imagined him to. He still wore his circlet and cape, but had some kind of blue and gold headgear around his ears. Lala couldn’t admire him right now though. Fae was the main priority, and she wasn’t going to be selfish enough to focus only on Camus. “Miss Fae!” Lala called out. She approached the stake, not knowing what she was about to witness until she looked in the same direction as Camus.

Miss Fae, their beloved teacher, has been stabbed in the neck. Her veins were sticking out, with dried blood all over her body and clothes. She must have been bleeding for a while, and yet somehow, was still alive. Lala could see her breathing heavily, witnessing the insides of her neck lightly twitch. She gagged, feeling her guts churn, the need to vomit at such a terrible sight began to spike. Lala wanted to look away, and let Camus do the speaking for her, since it was becoming too much to handle now.

What kind of horrible monster would do such a thing? This is what Lala wanted to ask, but she already knew the answer. The cult leader, Brother F. There was no one else, especially when he had already hinted at what he would do. But to actually go through with it, and murder another human being, was just unthinkable. Lala coughed dryly, wheezing as she felt whatever was in her stomach rise to the bottom of her throat. She couldn’t faint right now though, not when she had to at least speak.

“Fae,” Lala panted, “we can still save you! Camus can try to heal you, can’t he? We can pull you out of here.” Opening her eyes again, Lala saw the weak smile that was on Fae, indicating that it would be of no use. Tears began to well up, and Lala felt she might as well collapse right there. The arms of Camus, which lightly surrounded her body, stopped her from doing so in an attempt to comfort her.

“It’s okay Lala, it was my fault. I was afraid, so I sought the help of characters I did not know everything about. I ended up dragging you into this as well.” Fae’s words were slow, as was her breathing, since she was trying to hold onto her life for just a bit longer. “I can’t really be removed from this spot without perishing… Listen to me, Lala. You have been an excellent student, and for once in my life, I felt proud, knowing I could pass down what I learned to someone else.” Weakly, Fae began to tug at the green scarf which was peeling off of her wounded neck.

Hesitant to do so in case she harmed Fae even further, Lala sobbed, trying to help Fae pull it away. She didn’t dare get a closer look at the gory sight, and instead focused on the scarf, which was coated with red stains. “A long time ago, someone gave that to me,” Fae murmured “ a gift, from mentor, to student. Now I’m passing it to you.” Lala kept staring the scarf, listening to every word her teacher said, tears now soaking the green cloth.

“No, Miss Fae!” Lala cried, wanting to collapse again. “Camus, please, do something! We can’t just let her pass on when…”

Silence is what Lala was met with. She did not feel the nostalgic presence either. Her eyes shot open, and she began looking around, hoping Camus did not suddenly leave them, though it appeared that he did. “Camus?” Lala muttered, the scarf nearly slipping out of her fingers now. “Camus, where did you go?” She was so distraught, that not once, did Lala see Fae’s smile start to fade away.

 

“Lala, Camus was never real.”

 

Her blood went completely cold, not even able to tremble at Fae’s words. Lala looked back up at her teacher, giving her a blank expression.

“What…”

“He was an illusion that I created.” Fae explained. “I told Arle this years ago, after she graduated, but I could not bring myself to tell you the same. I figured Arle would have done it for me, but you kept wondering about him, even as years went by.” A couple of tears began to form in Fae’s eyes, as she began recalling certain events in her life. “I made him in the image of Barbara’s grandson, who was murdered. He is a phantom, which I crafted with my own magic. He wasn’t around, because I felt there wasn’t any need to use the illusion of his existence.”

Lala couldn’t believe what she was hearing right now. What she had chased after, and dreamed of, was nothing more than a ghost. She felt so many of her fantasies start to crumble. Her head started to hurt, and none of it was helped by what Fae began to say next. “It’s all very painful, I’m sure,” she said quietly, “having your childish, fairytale dreams be crushed?”

Fae’s voice was starting to sound more sinister, much to Lala’s surprise, and her vision was too blurry to see the look on her teacher’s face. “You’re just a defenseless girl, who wants to be treated like a princess. You wanted Camus to come sweep you off your feet, but just like the stories you love so much, Camus was nothing more than fiction. How sad for a growing girl.” The stinging words were followed by a mocking laugh, one which Lala had not been used to at all.

Why was Fae suddenly saying this!? What had gotten into her? Was the stress of Fae's life coming to an end forcing her to take it out on Lala? What was even worse, is that Fae began speaking even faster.

_ “Lala, you’re such a child, even now.” _

_ “Lala?” _

_ “Why don’t you act like an adult, Lala?”  _

_ “Lala, what’s wrong?” _

_ You’ll never be as mature as Arle, Lala—” _

_ “Lala, on your head!” _

That last voice made Lala break out of the state she was in, recognizing her teacher’s actual concern, which was made up of the last bit of strength Fae had. Lala began to hold her head, which was already aching from all of the voices. Something slimy was digging through her hair, and Lala didn’t even realize it until it was pointed out to her.

Screaming, she threw it to the ground, seeing it was some kind of slug-like creature with no eyes, but many sets of teeth. Stomping on it repeatedly, Lala weeped between each step, not caring for the guts which were getting stuck on her boots. Every squishing sound snapped Lala back to reality, since Fae’s words had stopped, and her head was starting to clear up. Once it was over, Lala glanced at her teacher one last time.

“Lala, you are strong.” Fae whispered, her grasp on life slipping away. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” 

With those last words, Fae closed her eyes, and passed on. No longer was the beloved teacher a part of this world, much to the sadness of those who would find out. Such a thing was going to be difficult to tell everyone, but Fae had told Lala that she was strong just now, and she was going to be exactly that.

It took Lala a few seconds of feeling her scalp to realize what had just happened, as she touched a spot on her head. It was bleeding, as if teeth had tried to dig into it. Lala winced in disgust and pain, smearing a bit of blood onto her fingers. Was that worm trying to dig into her brain? 

If it was… then chances were, it was somehow able to make Lala hallucinate.

* * *

Not everyone came to Doppelgänger Arle when she attempted to gather the others. Muhoho was still a bit upset that she defeated him before, while a couple other merchants were busy. Choppun was one of the few able to see through the disguise, and tried to tell others that “Arle” was a doppelgänger, but no one believed him. Succubus once had her new hairstyle insulted by the doppelgänger, so now, she refused to speak with “Arle”. Skeleton-D also did not want to speak with “Arle” any further, wondering if Choppun was crazy enough to be right.

Anyone else who was not present were most likely occupied with other things. Doppelgänger Arle didn’t really care, since she had a big enough crowd. It should be enough to be a hero, and bring them somewhere safe. Only trouble was, trying to either make it all look like an accident, or explaining the nonsense rather calmly. In fact, Doppelgänger Arle didn’t have a plan at all, outside of what she was told to do. She was only doing all of this so she could look like a generous heroine.

All that she could tell everyone without arousing any panic, was that she prepared a trip to the circus, and handed out invitations. It was the only method that she could imagine working, since just about everyone she knew had a love for all the colors and excitement. Doppelgänger Arle would know too, since during the last one, she performed as a clown. What would Arle even do in this kind of situation? One that was bound to give her some flack, and would be too ridiculous to make others understand? What could she do? And why did it seem like there were storm clouds coming? Was this the sort of thing she was warned about?

“Arle,” Daemon called out to her, “is something bugging you? The people you invited are going to show up any moment now. Where’s the circus you planned?”

Already she was being questioned. She wanted to lash out against the Demon Servant, but she could not blame him entirely. She could only keep thinking about what Arle would do in such a troubling situation. She probably would have dealt with this herself, but the doppelgänger was told that this was most likely beyond her. Fakebuncle gently nudged the doppelgänger, looking up into her eyes. 

That when “Arle” realized it was the truth. That is what the original would give, the truth, the bitter honesty that everyone knew her for. It would probably hurt some, and they would not believe her, but… she had to at least tell the Demon Servant.

“I lied, I’m sorry Daemon.” The demon stepped back, shocked at her words, and the fact that she actually said his name. “Someone told me that a calamity of some kind would befall this world, and I should try to save the others from harm. I was going to warp everyone to a safe spot. I couldn’t say it to their face, because I feared it was too unbelievable. I just…”

Truth, she had to tell the truth, even if it hurt her pride. “I don’t want to be alone,” she muttered, “I don’t want to lose the life I love. I’ve grown attached to people, and I act cold because I can’t admit that I enjoy the company. If I threw that all away to some disaster, I—”

“Arle?” Daemon called out to her, trying to touch her shoulder.

“No!” She snapped, pulling away from him. “You don’t understand, let me finish. I always feel as if any moment, everyone will snap at me, even if I’m trying to think for them. I’m afraid to think for people besides myself because of it, because I feel it would never end well, so I don't even try. Despite the demon you were, you happened to be surrounded by those vampires and other characters who looked out for you. I kept distancing myself, and…”

It took Fakebuncle lightly pulling on her shirt to get the doppelgänger’s attention again. She winced upon realizing there was now a crowd behind the Demon Servant. It made Doppelgänger Arle freeze in fear, thinking that the act was now over. She was nothing but a fool, fitting of the performances she used to put on. They would surely all turn against her, and she would be forced to flee.

She would be alone, while they all perished to whatever calamity was coming, evident by the storm clouds. Nothing could be heard other than the thunder. Not a word was spoken, until Chico stepped forward. The tribal girl gave a smile, trying to put “Arle” at ease. “It’s okay Arle,” she said, “I’m on your side, I know you want to help us… I could feel a dreadful presence too. We wouldn’t leave you alone.” Chico then looked over to the crowd that was close to her. “Isn’t that right?”

Collective mutters of agreement along with little cheers began to echo. Doppelgänger Arle could only watch, feeling comforted, but at the same time, horribly guilty. Despite what she was doing, she was still lying by not revealing to them that she was not the true “Arle”. Was there anything to gain if she told them that? And was there anything to lose?

Sadly, the doppelgänger knew she could not get the answer to that right now. Not when she was about to take everyone to safety. The encouragement could only push the doppelgänger to continue being in the shoes of her counterpart. At least, until she felt confident enough to be her own heroine, as opposed to the evil mirror she was meant to be.

Raising her arms up, Doppelgänger Arle’s eyes flashed a tint of red, only for a second before she closed them. “Void Hole!” She called out, preparing to bring them all to safety.

All, except for those who had avoided her. Had they accompanied her at this point, then the reflection would feel like a heroine for once in her worthless existence.

* * *

Gold Town was feeling rather deserted. Wish only recognized a handful of the merchants, while those who often shopped there, did not seem to be present. First Witch disappeared, as did Schezo, and now, it seemed like a majority had as well, including Witch’s friends. Considering how a vast amount of those were missing were monsters, was it possible that they were chased out somehow? Wish could not understand it.

“Excuse me,” Wish asked a snail merchant, “have you seen my granddaughter anywhere lately? Or some of her friends?” She was partly hoping the snail knew what Wish was talking about, which they did, as they responded with a cheerful smile.

“The witch, yes? I haven’t seen her since she was talking with her two friends, yo!” The snail explained, having a little tic at the end of their sentence. “I believe it was a dragon woman named Draco, who often buys from me, along with a winged girl that has pink hair, yo. They came by my shop, then eventually left, yo. Have not seen them since, I’m afraid.” Now looking a little worried, the snail’s expression changed a bit. “You’re her grandmother? I hope you find her soon, because even I’m a little concerned. Hopefully you bring her back before this storm hits us, those clouds look menacing, yo.”

Nodding, Wish looked up into the sky, troubled by what she was seeing. She noticed that several characters were going inside of their homes, so they would be safe, which made her think that she should have been doing the same. “Goodness me,” she muttered to herself, “I will have to make haste then. Thank you for your help, merchant—”

“Your wallet, yo!” The snail shouted, pointing out the a shadow which had slinked around Wish, and was taking her small coin purse away. Wish was startled, and pointed her staff at the creature, but it proved to be far too quick for her, sliding away into the darkness. She couldn’t be wasting time with this, since her granddaughter’s safety was a bigger concern, yet Wish also couldn’t have her belongings be taken away either.

A Specter, not very common to see in a bright place such as this, and they were rather mischievous, sneaky creatures. Hopefully, Wish could deal with it without wasting too much time. She didn’t think much of the storm, other than possibly a heavy downpour, so getting her clothes wet wasn’t too big of an issue.

* * *

Managing to lose the older witch with little trouble, the Specter giggled, sliding over to a dark corner of town. There was a Lich, who wore a cloak that was tattered, and had mismatching patches sewn on the spots that once had holes.

Along with him was a Living Doll, which wore a frilly, pink dress along with a white bonnet. She had a creepy, artificial face, a head that looked almost too big for her body, and stringy, blonde hair that was tangled.

And finally, there was a Wraith, who wore a white hood to cover up nearly all of her features. She normally did not leave Lyla’s Ruins, but for once, made an exception in hopes of making some friends. The Lich managed to befriend her upon meeting, since they were both the types to be rather distant, and easily scared away. The Lich then introduced her to his two friends, who were admittedly quite the troublemakers.

“Did you find anything good, Specty?” The Living Doll giggled, watching as the Specter dropped the coin purse to the ground. “What a prize, there’s lots of gold in here!” The doll cheered, digging through the purse and seeing all of the golden coins. “Just a little bit more, and we can probably afford to buy that one staff, so we can get back at those annoying humans who attacked us years ago!” She laughed maniacally, piling the gold with the other riches they had been storing.

“Provided we don’t get looted by someone else first, you mean.” The Lich grumbled, not looking in the doll’s direction. “How do you plan to buy an expensive staff anyway? Merchants don’t sell those kinds of things to monsters like us, because it would be dangerous for us to use them… especially with our malicious intents in mind.” The Living Doll glared at him, but didn’t stop smiling, since she was physically unable to emote very much. “Why don’t you just ask Specter to steal the staff you want anyway? Wouldn’t that be much easier?”

“Lich, let me tell you, messing with merchants is a bad idea,” the Specter hissed, “I tried it on those frogs once and they went nuts on me. Better to rob unsuspecting fools instead. Besides, it’s not like the old hag I stole from could catch up with me. Her old age would get to her first if anything.” He cackled at his cruel remarks, and the Living Doll joined him, until they were all interrupted.

Someone cleared their throat, and it didn’t come from the four of them that were there. “Is that right? I would say my age hasn’t caught up at all, since most people say I look younger than I am.” The Specter yelped, realizing Wish had tracked him down after all, and started cowering in fear at what she may do. She merely looked over to the small pile of riches, rather than blasting the Specter like he had expected. “I know you’re all troublemaking spirits, but if you want something, you should try to work for it, even if you believe you’ll be chased off. There are plenty of merchants in town that would actually appreciate having some hired help, and I’ve seen some monsters do exactly that to boost their reputation.” Wish explained, picking the coin purse back up, but did not bother taking back the money that was stolen.

“Are you… trying to say that even with our damaged image, we can improve it in the most simple of ways?” The Lich wondered, not paying any mind to the rain that was coming down. “I suppose that is something we could all work on, but it might be difficult. Perhaps, you could help us? Wraith is especially shy, and always apologizes for things she did not do wrong—”

“Lich! Why are you so quick to listen to this hag?” The Living Doll snapped, twisting her head around. “We can do this another time, right now, it’s raining, and I don’t want my hair to be ruined!” Turning her head around the other way entirely, the Living Doll began to float away, with the pile of stolen riches. “Come on, Specty. We can put up with old lady lectures another time. I just want to be safe, and dry!”

There was no point in reasoning with childish spirits like them. They did not mature, they could not grow, so Wish knew that it was hard to change them. She prepared to take her leave, seeing the storm clouds gets darker, she had find Witch soon…

 

If not for the demonic creature that was tumbling through the air, straight towards Wish. Shocked and startled, she clutched her chest before ducking. The mischievous spirits were just as surprised, and the Living Doll screamed as she was plucked off of the ground. Wish looked back at her, along with whatever beast had just taken the doll, so she could witness it all in pure horror.

It had no face, but fleshy, fungus-like antennae all over its head. Sickly, pinkish skin, with limbs that belonged to a crustacean. It repeatedly flapped its wings, which resembled those of a bat, but struggled to keep itself in the air, not used to the environment somehow. It was around five feet tall, and had a pair of large claws, which would be commonly seen on a crab. It lightly twitched, trying to sense what was going on since it had no way of seeing anything without eyes. Chances were, this beast lacked the ability to hear or smell too, due to the faceless structure.

The Living Doll was unable to break free from the claws, which began tightening around her porcelain body. “Specty, Lich, do something!” She screamed further, trying to attack the monster, but to no avail. “I can’t do anything, these claws are—”

A shattering sound was heard. The beast managed to crack open the Living Doll’s head, just by squeezing her with its claws. It began searching for something inside of the head, but found nothing there, besides the spirit which could not be contained. It took nearly a minute of sensing what else was around, before it dropped the doll’s body, and directed itself to the other entities that were present.

The Specter, Lich, and Wraith immediately fled, not wanting to become prey, despite having no solid form. Wish snapped out of the state of horror she was in, pointing her staff at the beast. She wasn’t even going to demand that it step away from her, as it had proved its violence was beyond reason. “Cosmic Ray!” She shouted, launching several rays into the sky, which beamed down onto the monster. Due to the beast's struggle to fly away, it could not dodge the spell, and soon found its body weakening.

Crumbling apart like it was just cooked, it gurgled in pain, trying to reach out to Wish, who made her escape. Even if such a monstrosity did not immediately perish, it would not get far without falling to pieces, which was all that mattered. Wish went back to her initial focus, which was finding her granddaughter, before this storm somehow got worse…

But it already was. Wish lifted her eyes to the clouds, and saw several beasts emerging from a valley in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was my favorite chapter to write so far? I was intensely motivated to finish up this one...
> 
> Yes, I went with the GameGear depiction of Camus, where in the end… he doesn't exist. I'm sorry to break everyone's heart with that.
> 
> On the plus side, summer is here, which means I have more time to work on this and probably update faster!


	8. Stars, Lovers, Misfortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As chaos spreads across the land, Dark Matter questions himself before going outside, for the first time in a long while. While remembering his past, he searches for the one who causes misfortune. Coincidentally enough, Lala is doing the same.

“My child, you need to take your medicine.”

He refused to look at the woman speaking to him, only staring at the wall, which was covered in drawings that he made. “No,” he mumbled, “it never makes me feel better. I just get all numb.” There was a sigh of frustration, followed by the woman stepping towards him, trying to make the boy face her.

“You can’t just stare at the things you like for a while, then go to sleep all the time. That isn’t healthy. A growing boy such as you needs to be active. You don’t have any reason to constantly take naps.”

“I do.” He replied, still avoiding eye contact. “Dreams. I can pass the gate to the dream world, and get away from all of you. I can do whatever I like, and bad things don’t happen to good people. That lousy medicine prevents me from passing the gate.” Finally, he looked up at the woman. She had a stern, unpleasant look on her face, which most would think did not match her tone of voice. The boy, however, was used to it. “Get that toxic thing away from me, you vile hag.”

Even with what came afterward, the boy didn’t regret what he said. He believed he was only speaking the truth, and the marks left on his face wouldn’t change that. He wasn’t going to show fear and submission like everyone else had.

* * *

Digging himself out of the colorful blobs, the man shrieked in frustration. A bag was over his head, along with a pair of glasses, but it was easy to see the anger that was underneath. “Blast it!” He shouted, kicking the remaining Puyo that were in his way. His attire was strikingly similar to that of Arle Nadja, albeit one of his armor plates was red.

The pink-haired woman cracked her whip and then laughed. “Don’t expect to insult my new appearance and get away with it. Know your place, whelp, or I won’t hesitate to grind my heels into that bag covering your face.” The man shuddered in response, preparing to get away from the scene, but then stopped when he looked up to the sky. “I don’t see any reason why it’s completely fine for Incubus to change his style, but I can’t? How pathetic of you. Unless that is, you simply enjoyed looking at my previous outfit?”

She didn’t get a reply, much to her annoyance. The woman, better known as Succubus, instantly lashed her whip at the defeated man, who yelped in pain. “Are you ignoring me? I don’t tolerate that, I’m afraid. Perhaps I’ll have to teach you some manners, would you like that?” He raised his hands in self-defense, trying to direct Succubus’ attention to the clouded sky. Puzzled even further by his antics, Succubus turned around, not realizing what was going on.

Her eyes instantly widened. She wasn’t sure if she was imagining this right now, or if it was actually happening. All sorts of monstrosities that were beyond human thought, were emerging from a chasm, flying around or roaming the fields as lightning crashed through the sky. It was almost like some sort of calamity.

What were these beasts? They emerged from the earth like demons, but as one herself, Succubus figured that these freaks weren’t anything like her. They almost appeared to be from another era. “Come on, let’s get out of here!” The man shouted at the top of his lungs, making a run for it. Succubus wasn’t sure about all of this, but she joined him for now, wanting to seek refuge until this all blew over.

* * *

 

Time. He could see what was ahead of time. He could see what the purpose of one’s existence was, and was often asked to look into it. Years ago, Ikuri once thought he should do the same. What was his purpose? Who was he? Who would he be in the next fifty years that came? People were like a sea of stars. There were many, but each had their own purpose at some point. Would his be an early demise, or something more promising?

“Who am I? I am Ikuri.” He murmured softly.

“No,” he was told, “you are Dark Matter.”

“Are we truly one in the same?” Dark Matter whispered to himself. “The meek fortune-teller who wanted the best, is he really the same as the one who distances himself into the darkness? The one who proclaimed to protect Wish, is the same as the one who took her body? Who are you, who speaks to me, and tells me who I am?”

“I am Ikuri.”

“But I,” he hesitated, “am Dark Matter.”

There was no second voice. He was only asking and answering questions, back and forth, to himself. “Why do you exist, Dark Matter? Because I, Ikuri, tried and failed. Acting out against those who accused Wish. I wanted to protect her, so I let the darkness swallow him. Now I’m no more, and you are here in my place. You who acted selfishly, and desired Wish. Dark Matter who was built from my jealousy, from my fears of what would happen to the world—”

“Ikuri, the storm clouds outside.” Dark Matter sighed, rubbing his bony fingers against a tarot card. “They only prove you were right. You can come back, Ikuri. Your intents were never ill, there was no need for me to exist. I am nothing but a grudge, who refused to fix what was wrong. You can redeem yourself. You can save the world because your prediction was right all along.”

The Magician, Dark Matter stared at the card, and each time he closed his eye, he saw Wish in the picture’s place. Whenever Dark Matter averted his eyes to the Hermit, he could only see himself. “We are one in the same. Dark Matter, Ikuri, me, you, us. The truth is, the only thing stopping you, Dark Matter… is yourself. Now get up, and get going. No long should you hide. She may not forgive you, but you can move on, once you try to follow your fate. The fate of stopping a cult’s calamity.”

He finally stopped, the Magician card slipping out of his fingers. It was no different than how he lost Wish. She slipped away from his fingers and fell to someone else. “What kind of madman am I?” Dark Matter wondered, staring at the ceiling, covered in moss. “Who talks to themselves like this? Who is so alone, that they can only hold a conversation with his past self?” Getting out of the wooden chair finally, Dark Matter stood up, knowing it was his responsibility to act now, or he would regret it. This may be his last chance.

“That’s right, Dark Matter is.”

He had to go outside, just this once to witness the carnage. Locking himself away wouldn’t do any good. Dark Matter opened the door, taking a step outside. The gloomy weather was to his liking, strangely enough, even when Dark Matter knew the source of it all too well.

Wish could not stop him this time either, even with what had happened in the past.

* * *

 Ikuri had seemed tense lately, and it worried Wish. He looked at Wish a couple of times, then averted his gaze when she noticed it, as if he was embarrassed by something. It wasn’t unusual for him to be a little shy, but Ikuri was usually open when it came to being around Wish. She had asked him before if something was wrong, but Ikuri denied it, saying he read into an interesting future. When Wish questioned what it was, Ikuri only gave vague details. Wish figured at that point it must have been a private matter, and she wouldn’t pry for details if it bothered her friend.

A tarot card he had flipped over, ended up being the Lovers. This could have a good or bad effect, but it definitely had to do with Wish. Being star-crossed often led to misfortune, but for all Ikuri knew, his fate with Wish could be one that would end happily. Whatever could it all mean? Ikuri did have very strong feelings for Wish, that much he understood at this point. It was too hard for him to bring himself to say anything about it, especially if he made any mention of fate.

For now, he would remain quiet. He was only given a sliver of what the future was, as opposed to a more vivid sighting. Perhaps Ikuri could not focus too well? His thoughts were interrupted a bit more, especially whenever thoughts of Wish entered his mind. Quite frustrating, really, to be stuck with these obsessive thoughts. Ikuri was afraid that he cared too much, being that he was a sensitive young man.

Once again, his focus was being ruined by these intrusive thoughts. He shook his head, then glanced ahead of Wish. There was a crowd of people, shouting amongst each other. Both Ikuri and Wish became curious as to what the commotion was all about. Wish could see Clayton, not far off, choosing not to get involved, so he could clean his shop. She looked at Clayton, then the crowd, then back at Ikuri, who had a nervous expression. Should she question what was going on?

She didn’t even get much of a chance to ask Ikuri what they should do, as a man in the crowd had noticed the witch’s presence. “The witch!” He shouted, pointing in her direction. “I knew it, you’re the one who killed our animals, aren’t you?”

The accusation startled Wish and Ikuri. They couldn’t refute, as several other townspeople chimed in. “She killed our farm animals to strengthen her sinful magic!”

“That’s why you keep coming back to this town, isn’t it? For more? Are you trying to starve us!?”

“Wretched girl, practicing witchcraft!”

“Take your hexes and get out of here, before you kill us all with your practices!”

Unable to handle it anymore, Ikuri stepped forward. He had a feeling something like this would happen. Why else would the star-crossed signs warn him? Was this the less fortunate outcome? He had to try and prevent it, even if it meant the worst. “How dare you suggest she would do something so vile!” His words poured out, not thinking much about what he should be saying. “You would antagonize this girl so suddenly, just for being a witch? And without a shred of evidence?”

The crowd of people stared at Ikuri, some began howling with laughter, while others gave him looks of disgust. “Look at this, a young man, dressing like some sort of gypsy fortune teller! Is he trying to put on a show for us?” One man cackled, much to Ikuri’s dismay.

“That is a man? What a poor excuse of one, clamming up the moment he’s mocked!”

“This boy should be chased back to the exotic hellhole he came from!”

“An accomplice of the witch? They must be both be in contact with the devil himself!”

Why wasn’t Wish doing anything? Ikuri was now too terrified to talk back, but she appeared to be completely calm. “I may be a witch,” she finally spoke, “but I am no different than the rest of you. Please, just hear us for a moment, and put your prejudice aside so we can—”

“Both of these sinners should be burned at the stake!” Another man shouted, interrupting Wish as he raised a pitchfork.

“Either flee and never come back, or we shall get rid of you ourselves!”

Even when threatened with weapons, Wish refused to attack the villagers. Ikuri was beginning to panic, wondering if he should try and call upon a spell of misfortune. Would Wish be angry at him? It would be in their defense, but it would also prove the point of the townspeople. Should they be the better ones, even if it risked their lives? Ikuri did not want to lose Wish, not when she was so kind to him, especially since he—

“All of you, stop this at once!”

Nearly everyone turned their attention to Clayton, who had stepped out of his tent. The looks on his face was a mix of pity and anger, a strange combination which one would never imagine. Pushing people in the crowd, frustrated, Clayton made his way over to Wish. He stood in front of her, arms stretched out. “Who is a ‘witch’? This one here?” Clayton questioned the crowd, who stood completely still. “She is no ‘sinner’s witch’, as you all call it. She is Wish!” He exclaimed, clenching one of his hands. “Wish has been nothing but kind, for as long as I have known her. Being a witch means nothing, not when one’s heart is as gentle as her own!

“Why, people like her and Ikuri over there, are only distant because they fear accusations such as this! Isn’t that why you all come to me at times?” Clayton asked, most of the townspeople now lowering their weapons. “Because I am nice to you? Because I listen to you? Even when I’m cooped up in my tent most of the day? I too, have the same fears at times. Wish and I are no different, and I refuse to let you hurt someone like her, because it tells me that you would do the same to anyone else that was odd in some way!”

One man in particular, who was still carrying his pitchfork from minutes earlier, refused to let down. He began to raise the pitchfork, preparing to throw it like a spear. “Get out of the way, boy, or you’re going with them!” The man snapped, unleashing all of the anger in his throw. The villagers were shocked at the rash action, especially since Clayton wasn’t bothering to move out of the way. He would be willing to give up his life, just to save a witch, of all people.

Wish cried out, begging Clayton to move. Ikuri was frozen in place, not sure what to do about all of this. It was all moving so fast, time didn’t slow down for even a moment, as much as Wish and Ikuri wanted it to. Clayton opened his palm, putting his hand in front of the pitchfork, at the very second it was about to strike him.

There was a gasp from everyone. No one there could believe what they were witnessing right now. They didn’t know how it happened, but it did.

Somehow, the pitchfork was caught. By a wall made of mud and clay, which had emerged from the earth.

The man who tossed it was completely stunned. Wish did not know what to feel, beyond being partly relieved that Clayton was alive. She wasn’t sure whether to instantly latch onto him, and berate him for being a fool, or if she should sit there and absorb what was going on.

“Some of you people, you treated me like a son, since I had no family,” Clayton said, his tone now soft. “I was afraid to tell you all for so long, but I wasn’t like the rest of you.” Turning his wrist in a few direction, the mud began to lower itself, the pitchfork being dropped at Clayton’s feet. The mud started to twist itself into a shape, very slowly. The crowd was absolutely mesmerized, not believing what they were seeing for a minute.

The mud formed a jar, no different than all the ones Clayton had made in the past. “I never used my hands, physically.” He explained further, picking the jar off of the ground. “I use magic. I am a Mud Master, a magician who can manipulate clay and mud. I am no different than Wish. Do you wish to antagonize me as well?”

All of the villagers went silent, unsure how to react to such a revelation. Clayton could only do one thing, and that was to deal the final blow. “Did you not think for one second, that maybe the one that killed your animals was on of your own? I saw this man wandering near the cattle fields, doing nothing but eyeing them. He mumbled something about the blood of living things making him stronger. Go bother that psycho instead, and gather evidence, before coming to a conclusion.”

This time, the villagers began whispering amongst each other. Some of them nodded in agreement, thinking the suggestion was a good idea, as they began to leave. Soon, they all began to split, except for the man who had tossed the pitchfork. Once he had noticed he was alone, and that Clayton was glaring in his direction, he gasped and made a run for it in a cowardly fashion, nearly tripping in the process.

“Wish,” Clayton spoke, “I’m sorry I hid that from you for so long. I intended on joining your group, but I feared I would look suspicious. I wanted to try and clear the name of all who use magic beyond basic sorcery—”

“You idiot!” Wish snapped, pounding both of her hands against his shoulders. Startled, Clayton dropped the jar to the ground, making it shatter on impact. “You almost got yourself killed, just to save me? There was no reason for that!” Frustrated and on the verge of tears, Wish embraced him. “Why, Clayton? You’re such a moron. I’ll never forgive you, no matter what you try, and no matter how many times you claim it was to save my skin!”

“Well,” Clayton hummed, a playful smirk on his face, “what if I said I loved you? Then would you forgive me?”

Wish’s face began to turn pink. She smiled, but was still crying. “No, especially not if you say things like that, I could never forgive you for trying to get yourself killed!”

“Okay, okay,” Clayton laughed, “I thought for sure cutting off the braid you hated so much would redeem me.”

As he began stroking Wish’s hair, someone began to clear their throat. Wish and Clayton snapped out of it, the latter being pushed away, as Wish brought her attention back to Ikuri. He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes told Wish that they should get moving.

“Sorry Ikuri, blame the idiot over there for holding me back.” Wish explained, laughing in embarrassment until she noticed Ikuri’s expression. He almost seemed depressed, along with mildly irritated for some reason. “Is something wrong? Are you still upset about the villagers saying those nasty things to you? I’m sorry I didn’t defend you like you did for me, I just didn’t want to…”

Faking a smile, Ikuri nodded in response, trying to pretend that’s all that bothered him. As he and Wish started to walk away, Clayton instantly slid over to Wish’s side. “Where are you two headed anyway? Need me to tag along? Since I finally got my powers off my chest, I might be more willing to check out your group.” He chuckled, nudging Wish lightly.

“You’re a dork, not joining just because of things like that. I should say no, really. Boobs like you should be kept out!” Wish giggled. “Right Ikuri?”

“Yes, actually.” Ikuri agreed, startling Wish and Clayton. They expected just silence, Ikuri stammering, or laughing along with it. But he sounded serious, and stern almost. “You have a job, don’t you? Maybe you should worry about that first.”

Both Wish and Clayton stopped in place, as Ikuri kept walking on ahead. Wish definitely knew that something wasn’t right. Ikuri never talked back much, and he sounded pretty annoyed. She could only assume he was stressed out still.

Clayton on the other hand, guessed that Ikuri was joking along, but just wasn’t the best at emoting it. “I’ll just come by another day, whether you two like it or not,” Clayton said with a smirk, heading back to his tent. “On the plus side, I might be more open to using my methods in the public eye now!”

Wish wanted to jab him one last time, but he was out of reach by then. Hopefully, she could comfort Ikuri, and let him know that he wasn’t a freak or anything like that.

Initially, that’s what she would have said back then…

* * *

 

Once she had freed all of the prisoners, Lala could only run. Run all the way back to the Magician’s Village. For now, it was calm, but ominous, as a dreadful presence began creeping the sky. She knew the worst was going to happen, Lala had already seen it on the way, with indescribable beasts sucking on Puyo, deflating the blobs into nothingness. Not all of the prisoner could make it either, as one had gotten cornered by one of those Albino Penguin creatures. The woman had her eyes and clothes picked apart, tearing her skin off soon after. Lala tried to kill one of them, but there were just too many.

She felt horribly guilty, there wasn’t much that Lala could do against a horde like that. Not when there were so many of them. Lala could only go on knowing that she made an attempt, the guilt couldn’t eat her at a time like this. Not when everyone had to save themselves. She made as much of an honest effort as she could by knocking out any remaining cultists or monsters that blocked everyone’s path.

Now, Lala just had to find Barbara and Juju. They had to know that Fae was gone, and that they should prepare themselves. She didn’t bother knocking, announcing that she was coming in, or anything. Lala didn’t care if Barbara got a heart attack, because she was in a hurry, so she wasn’t going to wait around, and get permission to come inside. Swinging open the door to Barbara’s house, the older woman clutched her chest, nearly attacking Lala with a magic spell.

“It’s just me!” Lala exclaimed, raising her hands. Barbara halted, grabbed her walking stick, and immediately tried to hit Lala with it. The student’s reflexes were faster though, as she moved out of the way and closed the door. “Where’s the headmaster? I need to tell him—”

“Yes, yes, there’s a terrible energy, we all know, Juju was the one who said he would take care of it!” Barbara snapped, trying to hit Lala a second time. “He felt a disturbance, so he went to check it out before it came in contact with this village, thinking he could try to stop it. We still haven’t seen from Fae either, before you ask. Did you find her or something?” Barbara began to sit back down in her wooden chair, prepared for whatever else came into her home.

Lala hesitated at first, unsure how she should say it, but figured it was best to just spit it out now. “Gone,” Lala replied, watching as Barbara’s eyes widened, her body stiffening at those words. “That cult you mentioned? They killed her.” Lala’s voice became louder, every part of Fae’s death infuriated her, more and more. “They used her as a sacrifice, they believed they could call upon their gods, by taking her life!” She snapped, wanting to grab something and just throw it across the room. “They were using several people for that purpose, that or they become some kind of bride for men that look like fish! How does this happen? How?”

If there was a time for Barbara to feel remorse, it was now. First she felt partly responsible for the loss of Kamyu, but knew it was only right to blame his killer. Now, after telling Fae to stop blaming herself, she was gone for good. Completely erased from this world, at the hands of a cult that Fae hoped would take care of a monster. It was a cruel irony, and the only way it could get worse, is if something happened to Juju.

Lala kept ranting, on and on, but Barbara wasn’t listening. How long had it been since Juju left? Was the cult attempt to summon gods somehow connected to the dreadful energy? She shouldn’t have let him go alone. Same with Fae, otherwise neither of those things might have happened. She may have valued her own life in a selfish way, but she would rather be the one to go, as opposed to the youths who still had wishes to fulfill.

“Damn that man,” Barbara muttered, breaking Lala’s rant. “Damn that cult, damn my grandson’s killer… but damn me, most of all. It will always happen, because I choose to be cold and distant. Why do I always avoid others, when they can’t even live without me!?” She yelled, throwing her walking stick to the side. “Ever since my husband left, I’ve been nothing but bitter. He said I was too close, so I took that advice, damn him!”

Getting out of her chair, Barbara proceeded to knock over a glass cabinet in her rage, much to Lala’s shock. “Things like giving people space, making sure not to worry so much— did he just want me to die alone? Did he want to die alone? Every time I give someone independence, the trust to do something on their own, I lose them—” Snapping, she turned back to Lala, digging through shards of glass to pick up a broken cup. “It’s your fault too.”

“What?” Lala questioned, avoiding the tea cup that was thrown at her.

“Damn you, telling me this to make my old life even worse than it already is!” Barbara screamed, trying to pull hair out of her head, just to feel a sting of pain. “You won’t do anything, you won’t listen to me, you children don’t like staying near me, you only care about moving on with your life and living in a fantasy!”

Was she senile? Was she suffering dementia or something? Lala wasn’t going to take it though. “Stop projecting your problems on me, this isn’t about that right now!” Lala explained, trying to be the better woman. “There were actual monsters in the cave those cultists held their sacrifices in, I don’t doubt they can somehow summon abominable gods that—”

“Why aren’t you paying any attention? Listen to my problems, you child!” Barbara sobbed, falling to her knees and hands. “That’s the problem with you kids, you only care about what you have to say! Is that it? Us old people aren’t important? Can’t you respect them for one moment, and understand others? No, it’s not children, you people hate showing empathy, don’t you?”

That was it. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Lala didn’t know what the hell was wrong with this old hag of a white mage, but she was going to put a stop to it. “I’m not a child, you’re the one who’s acting immature right now! This is a crisis, not a time to breakdown and…” Lala shook her head, turned away from Barbara. “Just forget it. You need help, but you aren’t going to get it acting like this. I’ll find the headmaster, and tell him what happened.”

Opening the door, Lala began to step out of Barbara’s house, preparing to leave the old lady there. “No,” Barbara gasped, crawling out to follow her, “no, you’ll die also if you try something reckless!” Lala looked down at her, confused, until Barbara’s face became sour once more. “Go out there, sure, and lose your life like all who leave me do!”

Lala sighed in frustration, now trying to ignore Barbara. There wasn’t any use, since it seemed her mind had completely snapped in two. It was one thing for her to be a bitter old lady, but now she was a demented lunatic that blamed everyone around her for her loneliness. When she looked ahead though, Lala immediately halted, shocked and sickened at what was standing there.

A man with long purple hair in a ponytail. He wore a robe which matched his hair, but it appeared to be torn to thing shreds. The only thing that stopped Lala from joyfully expressing the headmaster’s presence, was that he did not appear to be the same man that she or Barbara once knew.

His skin was now a sickly, pale color, which almost resembled a fungus. There were folds in his face, as if he had rapidly aged. His eyes were pink, and bulging out of his sockets. His once lovely hair was now falling out, with each step he took. Juju’s fingernails had fallen off, but his actual digits had extended, looking like twigs made of flesh.

This thing before her, was no longer the beloved Headmaster Juju. He gurgled, opening his mouth, revealing a tongue that had bulbous taste buds, and jagged teeth. “Juju,” Barbara wept, getting back on her feet, “what has happened to you?”

The only response Barbara got from him, was a loud hiss, followed by Juju lunging at her.

Lala did not want to do anything about this. This was even worse than the Albino Penguins. Perhaps Juju would have been putting Barbara out of her misery, if not for his slow, violent methods. Ripping her hair out, then gnashing his teeth into her skull like a zombie. The nailless fingers tried to pull apart pieces of the skull, digging into Barbara’s brain. The screaming had stopped once he sank his fingers inside, but Lala was far, far away by now.

Miss Fae was dead. Barbara was being maimed. Headmaster Juju had been mutated. Arle Nadja was nowhere in sight. Camus was never real.

Lala was alone. There was no one left from the kindergarten days that could help her. She was on her own, with no form of guidance.

The only thing that she knew, was that she had to get revenge. Stop Brother F at all costs, and find out how things could return to normal. And in order to do that, she would have to track him down.

She would soon not be the only one who sought the cult leader.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to be doing my chapters once a week again, but I got distracted by things, ugh! I need to work on that.
> 
> Yeah, the flashback section where the villagers insult Ikuri, and Barbara absolutely losing it… were kinda brutal, and I'm sorry if people didn't like them. You were meant to feel sorry for Ikuri and Lala (maybe Barbara too though I guess you could also hate her).
> 
> I installed Grammarly recently, so hopefully it picks up any typos that I end up making. It's picked up some, but otherwise, it picks up really minor, silly things.


	9. Façade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fudoushi searches for Fae, while Lala tracks down Brother F. Both are met with something rather unfortunate, as Brother F makes his move to a sleeping city.

Dreams suddenly became tiresome. No longer did the boy want to lie down and go to bed. Not when reality blended so much with the dreams. Depressing, to be locked out of the beautiful imagery he had longed for. The last time he had dreamt, the boy could only recall the gate being locked. The gate which he had described to one of the caretakers. A week after he had spoken of it, the gates were suddenly closed, and the boy could not pass.

No doubt, that vile hag had locked the gate. Her and the other caretakers, doctors, anyone that worked in this prison of a foster home. Looking at the pictures of strawberries he had drawn, progressively improving his art as he examined the fruit more.

It started with just a red circle that had green bits. Then, the boy drew them in their triangular shape. The little seeds on the outside came soon after. Eventually, the shape became more detailed, as did the seeds, the leaves, and the boy even began drawing the inside of the strawberry. Sliced in many different ways, to get a different view of how it looked. About a year later, he drew the plants, the flower, of a strawberry.

All from looking at the plant which stood on his desk. It almost never withered, since he somehow took such good care of it. Any little bit of sunlight, he let the plant have, as opposed to his own being.

Until he found the key, which would open the gate, the boy would settle for drawing strawberries. They couldn’t keep him locked out. Not unless everyone made an attempt to make him stay in the real world, or if the key was lost forever.

* * *

She flew back home on her staff as fast as she could, making sure to steer clear from any monstrosities that could end her life. Wish had to get back to her family, and hope nothing had happened to them. If something had gotten to Clayton or her grandson, Wish would never forgive herself for losing everything she loved.

And where was Witch? Was she long gone, taken away by those beasts? Wish wanted to spend more time searching for her, but it wasn’t like she could be in two places at once. Witch was strong and brave, but could she fight off something that could snap open the head of a doll? A doll that is possessed, no less? Could Clayton and Wizard defend themselves too?

No, she had to clear her mind, even if just for a minute. Just get back home, see if Clayton and Wizard are safe, then Wish could try to find out what happened to her granddaughter. There wasn’t any time to be more anxious than she already was. Wish was going as fast as she could, yet she felt it wasn’t fast enough. If she was just a second too late, she would regret it forever, like she had years prior.

Wish didn’t bother making a perfect landing with her staff, she clumsily got back on her feet, flung the staff back into her hands, then swung the door open. There was Clayton, all in one piece, but struggling to ward off abominable creatures. Wish didn’t say a word, nor did she get a good look at the humanoid freaks before her, she immediately points her staff at the monsters, and cast a meteor shower on them.

Clayton protected himself with a magic wall made of clay, all while trying to fight the humanoids with his own summoned creatures, which were made of mud. He watched as the fiery rocks tore apart their skin, making them fall apart like zombies. Granted, their flesh was definitely less fragile than your typical undead, so it made Clayton question if these things were part of the living.

Once it was finished, Clayton disposed of the wall and proceeded to stomp on the monstrous remains with his boots. He didn’t know what to say. Clayton would have cracked a joke like he did in his youth, but the matter was far too serious right now to do so, and Wish looked tenser than ever. He had only seen her like this twice in his lifetime, and it made him feel awful. “Where is Wizard?” Wish finally asked, her eyes darting around the house, which was now a mess.

“Not here, I’m afraid,” Clayton answered with a sigh. “He had breakfast with me, then left to increase his power near Lyla’s Ruins. I have no doubt he is somewhere around there.” Wish clenched her hands around her staff. Both of her grandchildren were out there, and it made her feel helpless. “Come,” Clayton said, “do not fret. We shall find him, and Witch. There isn’t time for us to lose.” Taking something from underneath the pillow on his bed, Clayton embraced Wish, who climbed back onto her staff.

She didn’t want to waste even a second, but Wish looked over to Clayton as they began flying out the door. “Did you bring him?” She asked.

Clayton responded with a gentle smile. “Why wouldn’t I bring Tenori?” He said softly as a small, frightened elephant began climbing onto his shoulder.

For once today, Wish felt at ease, knowing they would have support from Tenori Zoh. He was almost like a good luck charm, one that had been there when Wish needed emotional support in the past. Clayton gently patted Tenori Zoh on the head, who began to calm down, knowing he was in good hands.

All they could do now was hurry, and find Wizard. Otherwise, history could repeat itself.

* * *

He could smell it.

Death, the death of many. Even with his dulled senses, it lingered in his nostrils. Fudoushi could tell that lives had been sacrificed here, and that beasts had been killed. Of course, the place seemed mostly cleared out, by the time he arrived. It was as if an army of mere humans grabbed torches, anything else they could find, and ran through this place.

Or rather… ran out, by the looks of the muddy footprints he trudged across, which went in the direction he came from. Some cloaked characters were completely unconscious, while others had been bludgeoned to death by their own prisoners. Everyone else must have been outside, to greet the ensuing chaos which Dark Matter had predicted.

Despite that, the cave seemed rather inviting, at least to Fudoushi’s twisted liking. It was damp, had a comfortable temperature, and was definitely a viable place to hide things that should not be seen. Fudoushi would have to consider taking this cavern as his own at some point. He could make use of all the prison cells too, if any of his subjects needed something to feed on.

“You there,” A remaining cult member called out in a threatened tone, “stand back, beast. This space is occupied by the Deep Circle, and soon, the Outer Gods will make it their own, just as we had desired!” Fudoushi smirked, not intimidated in the slightest. “I shall send the Deep Ones and every other one of our allies to dispose of you.” Again, the man in the cloak had his words ignored. “ A monster such as you that consumes, and does not give in return, should not be walking upon this world. Do you understand? Your existence is a mistake!”

Still, he didn’t budge. “Yes,” Fudoushi replied, “what else is new? I’m sure your existence is just as meaningful, isn’t it?” Approaching the cultist, Fudoushi barely winced as the dagger was dragged across his body. It could barely get past his rotting flesh to pierce him, so only a cut was left there. “Dedicating your life to this kind of job, are you?” Fudoushi questioned. The cultist had only slashed him as a warning, and was more than ready to jab the entire knife through Fudoushi’s body, until his wrist was grabbed by tentacles.

Dirty fingers grasped the man’s throat. He gasped, air unable to enter or exit his lungs. “Why, you would even throw it away, wouldn’t you? Die for your whatever it is you worship?” Fudoushi chuckled, preparing to snap the man’s neck, right where he stood. “Would you kill your family members, for whatever your superiors asked of you?”

Panic rose in the man’s body. He had joined this cause to save the world of horrid monsters, to protect his family, since the Deep Circle had killed the vampires that took his wife. Now, the cost of his life was being questioned, as was his daughter’s. “I would never let harm come to my child.” The man said, as Fudoushi gave him enough air to speak. “They would never betray the trust I put in them. The Outer Gods would not ask for her soul, and I would give my own life if I had to please them.”

Fudoushi’s smile only grew wider. “So you would go against them, if your gods did not choose you? You would be willing to lose your life, just as I had suggested?” His grip loosened, making the man hope he could break free at last.

“Never. My daughter—”

 

_Snap._

Fudoushi dropped the man, who had gone completely limp. Shoving the lifeless body to the side, he stared at the broken neck that was given. “Sorry, I don’t really care for what reason there is for your life.” Fudoushi continued to move along, not bothering to give the cultist a proper burial, since he was not worth the trouble. “It wasn’t like you would bother understanding my own after all. Hopefully, your child can understand that.”

A quick illusion spell prevented any further time from being wasted, as anyone who came close would probably be met with quite the traumatic experience.

* * *

 She could see him from afar. Just a silhouette in this dreadful, foggy air, but Lala knew it was him. He was walking, slowly, with other cultists accompanying him. Lala recalled the appearance of his cloak, as opposed to everyone else who blended in. It took a couple of hours, but Lala finally found him, choosing to keep her distance.

Brother F stood there, looking at a mountainside. Covered in moss, as water slowly cascaded off of the rocks. Such a sight would be beautiful, but the clumps of green made it look slimy instead. It appeared that not even a hint of sunlight had touched this place, like it was somehow out of reach. How fitting that the likes of Brother F would stand before such a sight. After what had happened to Fae, Juju, and even Barbara, Lala had no positive view of this man.

He opened the leather-covered book in his hands, standing completely still. Did he sense Lala’s presence close by? Would he notice that she broke out, and was now watching him? She carefully positioned herself behind the tree, hoping he would not turn around and see her. Lala listened carefully, either for footsteps, or for whatever Brother F was muttering to his fellow lunatics.

Lala would not let them get away. Not after what just happened to the world she loved, and the people she knew. She didn’t know everything about what she was going up against, but she was going to fight this monster who dared to call himself a savior. Maybe then, this horrible nightmare would be over, and things could return to normal somehow.

“Great Old Ones and Outer Gods,” Brother F called, reading the book in his hands. “I have given you a wonderful sacrifice, and I thank you dearly for your aid. Your being, higher than an angel, shall cleanse this world. I will soon give you the greatest gift there is, but only, if I can witness the work of you, working together.” Pulling something out from the inside of his hood, Brother F revealed a silver key, which he had been wearing as a necklace.

He held it up to the area before him, which made the water stop running. “I call you from your resting place, he who sleeps in R’lyeh. Open the gate at the sight of my key, come out of the lost city you have been confined in, so I can gift you with the ultimate sacrifice.” Once he was finished with his speech, Brother F remained where he stood, holding the key above his gaze.

Lala watched him, believing that he must have really been insane. She raised her eyes to other parts of the mountain, watching various creatures burst out from the stones. It was as if these beasts had been fossilized for years, and had been awakened by Fae’s death. One after the other, and they all made their way to various locations. All to cause destruction, and become the dominant species. Lala just couldn’t understand it. What was this madman thinking? If Brother F had some sort of end goal, it made absolutely no sense to her.

Chills went through her body as the ground began to shake. The entire mountain began breaking apart, a boulder even coming down to crush one of the cultists that had followed Brother F. None of them cared for their lost comrade, as they stood there, waiting. Lala was not sure if she should be horrified, or amazed at what she was witnessing right now.

A pair of wings were revealed from the stone, followed by a large, bulbous head that resembled an octopus. Tentacles were protruding from where its mouth would be, and its eyes were bright as stars when they opened. Its body appeared human, but its skin was a disgusting green color, blending with the moss which covered the mountains. An inspection of the body indicated that this beast was male most likely, but…

That was all Lala could take, as she began to hold her head. Why was she feeling so strange? She looked over to the other cultists, some who were having trouble adjusting to the sight before them. One of them had fallen on their knees, and began muttering nonsense. Lala didn’t realize it, but she was doing the same thing, mumbling names under her breath, wondering what was going on, what was she seeing?

Was she dying? She felt something eating at her brain. Was it a parasite again? Why was this happening? Lala could see Camus and Arle, just a few meters away, walking without her. “Arle,” Lala murmured, “Camus, don’t leave me. Let’s do this together, please?”

They were abandoning her. Leaving her behind, just like how it always was. Lala couldn’t fight, she wasn’t strong like they were. She had to get help from her old kindergarten teacher in order to find something she was good at. They were so much better than her, and they were showing it, by ignoring her.

No… no, Camus never existed. Lala had to reason with this insanity. Why was she seeing this? Was it from staring at that monster? She tried to get back up, and keep her eyes on Brother F, who was completely immune to the sight of the giant beast. He didn’t even flinch, not that Lala would notice if he did. He was the only one that seemed calm, not bothered in the slightest.

“I welcome your return to this world, Cthulhu.” Brother F said, bowing down to the tall monstrosity. “With your help, this tormented world shall go back to its natural state. I shall do my best to resurrect the rest of your family, so no one will suffer anymore. This world will be one that you all share in peace.”

The winged entity bellowed, its roar giving Lala a headache even more than previously. Her body became weak, and she fell to her knees, unable to get back up this time. Lala’s vision became blurry, consciousness began to fade, she felt that she was going to faint any minute now. What was real and what was in her mind began to bend before her, spots appearing before Lala’s eyes. She could only hear one thing before passing out, and that was Brother F.

“Yes,” he spoke, “no one can comprehend your magnificent form, Cthulhu. It is too powerful for those with a fragile mind.”

* * *

Fudoushi had found her, and she was in the exact state he had expected.

Fae was dead. Unmoving, and not smiling. Her dress was soaked in blood that had dried up, and her lovely skin was now pale. Her green hair was a mess, as opposed to luscious and smooth like it usually was. The scent of death belonged to her. A sweet one, which he was familiar with, bringing him so many memories.

He towered over the body, carefully undoing the rope around her wrists and ankles. Fae’s corpse immediately fell to Fudoushi’s tentacles, looking horribly stiff. It didn’t seem that any flies had gotten to her just yet, but they were definitely trying to track her down, since Fudoushi could see them buzzing around in the horizon. Fae must have set up an illusion to fool mere insects, so she would not become a meal for their children.

Lifting her body, Fudoushi brushed the hair away from her eyes and wiped the dirt off of her face. There was no pulse. Not a single sign of life was in this woman. Fudoushi was only holding an empty shell, one that contained the soul of the student he taught everything to. He was well aware that this was nothing but a lifeless object in his hands. With tangled hair, stiff limbs, and dead eyes, it was almost as if Fudoushi was holding a doll. One whose hair could be brushed, which is exactly what he began doing with his fingers. Such dolls that a child would often speak to, and tell secrets to…

He was a strange case, with his undead state. Fudoushi was the kind of doll that had part of it broken off, body covered in dirt, and hair pulled out. A strange comparison in his mind, but one that he understood. Humans and dolls were never so different, as they could be used, then thrown away, left to be buried in the earth. “I had a feeling that one day, I would see you like this,” Fudoushi spoke, still brushing her hair. “I never thought it would be done by someone else’s hands, rather than my own, Fae. In fact, I’m quite angry that someone other than me had done this to you. I had planned to get back at my old associates for years now, including you for some reason.”

He began to smile, as if he was trying to comfort himself. “I wanted to make you paranoid, and have you wonder when you were next, after I dealt with Juju and Barbara.” Fudoushi looked over to the horizon once more, seeing beasts fly out of a mountain, that was just across the cliffside. “I got out of the tower years ago, but I procrastinated far too long, it seems. I should have dealt with you sooner, so this wouldn’t happen. Not exactly sure what took me so long.” He then examined his surroundings further, noting all of the sacrificial tools, and other items scattered around.

The head of the one who lived in the Vampire’s Castle. Fudoushi saw it, rotted away and on display for all to see. He stared at it for a whole minute, unsure if he should be disgusted or amused, but either way, Fudoushi connected the dots rather quickly. “You came to them,” Fudoushi murmured, “so they would get rid of me, is that it? You were afraid I would come get you, and everyone else you know?” Glancing back down at the body in his arms, Fudoushi narrowed his eyes. “You lived in fear of me, didn’t you, Fae? You found out that I escaped somehow, and knew that I would try to go after innocent lives? I should be ashamed really, but it looks like things didn’t go as you planned.”

There was a long moment of silence. The only thing that could be heard was Fudoushi’s breathing. No wind, no birds, no buzzing of flies or cicadas, nothing. “You feared one night, I would stand over your bed, and take your life away. The funny thing is, I did exactly that, only to find you were not there. Your room did not smell of lavender, and neither did your body. Instead, I picked up the blood you had spilled here while trying to search for you.” Curling his finger around Fae’s hair, he chuckled, not caring for the fact that he was talking to himself.

“Ah, the irony in all of this is amazing too, my dear Fae. I actually came to your room so I could warn you. A friend of mine, he predicted such chaos would happen. Little did I realize, you would be the one to cause all of this, just by getting killed in cold blood. All the more reason I wish I came sooner.” His smile began to fade, as Fudoushi went quiet again. He had been pondering the thought of tormenting Fae for so long, like it was some kind of sick joke. Now that she was actually dead, Fudoushi wished she would wake up, just to see the look of terror on her face.

“No,” Fudoushi muttered, “I wanted you alive. The truth is, Fae, I needed you to pass on my teachings. I don’t think I have the heart to kill my own student, no matter how many times I told myself to do just that. I never intended on your death.” He sighed, showing regret for once. “I was weak. I could kill a bunch of kids, yet not you. By now, you felt nothing but hatred for me I’m sure. Nothing can justify what I had done, just to keep my youth. I craved your fear, and to see you hate me. I wanted you to try and get rid of me, like Juju did, so I could have a good enough reason to throw away your life. Your little deal with this cult should have come sooner, then I’m sure I would have tried it.”

He began stroking her face. Time went by, and her life was gone, but even in death, Fae’s skin was as smooth as he remembered. Fudoushi recalled the time he touched her exposed shoulder once, telling her that he was proud, and he didn’t let go. He enjoyed her youthful, soft skin, and found himself almost envious. Fae on the other hand… Fudoushi could never tell if she was uncomfortable, or feeling something else. As years went by, all leading up to now, Fudoushi realized it must have been the latter, with the few jabs he had made towards her.

“You loved me, didn’t you Fae?” Fudoushi asked, moving his hand away from her face. “You loved Fù Zhé, to be exact, but he’s been gone for a long time. Ever since I got rid of Kamyu, you could say I’ve only been Fudoushi. But even if you thought they were the same, your beloved teacher was nothing but a monster. No one would seek the love of someone who murders children for their youth, especially not one that becomes a hideous beast.” His emotions were twisting, and his thoughts were becoming confused, evident by how Fudoushi was forcing himself to smile again. “I’m sure once the truth was revealed, you were heartbroken, and got over me. Or was it hard to, after all this time? Did you still have feelings for me, even now?

“That sort of thing isn’t appropriate,” he spat, “I told you this before, I was your tutor. None of that stopped you from being drawn to me. Don’t you understand how that was all for your own good? You don’t deserve someone who kills for selfish reasons, not an old man, that’s for certain. Was it my little jokes that attracted you? Do you see where worrying about me got you in the end? It got you the end of your life, when you still had time.”

Fudoushi couldn’t help but start quietly laughing to himself. This was all such a cruel twist, that it was hilarious to him. “I guess in the end, I’m the one worried about you,” Fudoushi chuckled, “maybe deep down, somewhere, I had strong emotions too. Thing was, I knew better than to let them get me, at least up until I escaped that tower.” After a minute, his laughter began to stop. His messed up sense of humor was starting to fall apart, like a mask falling off of someone’s face.

The walls came crumbling apart, his façade was gone. Fudoushi stared at the corpse blankly, before closing his eyes.

“You’ll never forgive me,” he whispered, “For killing Kamyu, for hurting you, for making you my pupil, and being close to you. You deserved better. What happened to you, was my own fault. I don’t deserve to be forgiven for anything.”

So many things he wanted to say, they were all cluttering his mind. Was he mournful? Did he feel sorry? Was he angry? Was he happy, in some twisted way? Fudoushi did not know the answer. He did not know what he felt, emotionally.

Physically, however, he felt a warm hand caressing his cheek. The wind finally picked up, whispering past him, almost like words. Fudoushi opened his eyes, only to find nothing had been touching his face. Fae was still in his arms. No one was there besides himself, and the corpse of his student.

“You’re smiling at me.” He said, glancing back down at her face. “You’re a fool to forgive me.” Fudoushi sighed, lifting the body up to his chest. “Would you like me to give you a proper burial, at the very least? Those idiots should have given you one, but I guess they’re somehow more heartless than I am.”

As he began to carry her body away to a more appropriate location, Fudoushi laid his eyes down Fae’s neck. A large gash was there, her veins had been torn out, but he was more bothered by what was missing. She had passed down Fudoushi’s talents after what he had done, it seemed. His gift was no longer on her, and it was unlikely that the cult members had taken it.

Water droplets. Faintly, he could hear them dripping on cloth. Fudoushi quickly noticed that Fae’s dress had been getting wet from where he was standing, as he started moving again. “Leaking,” Fudoushi mumbled, “let’s get out of here, so you can at least be dry for your burial. I can’t have you getting soggy in this place. Once we part ways though, I’m going to find the person that did this to you.”

The cliffside chamber was completely dry though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than 5,000 words, ugh, I don't care I'm tiiiiired. Over 4,400 is good enough, right? ;;
> 
> I probably should be making chapters shorter anyway, if only for the possibility that I might be adding too much fluff.


	10. Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devil tries to fight off the terrors invading Lyla's Ruins, and various characters try to find shelter.

A trip to the mountains, organized by the home. All of the children would attend it, no matter how much he protested to it. He knew it could only end poorly since the boy had seen the way rebellious children had been handled before. They would get a slap like he did, or have their things taken away from them. Children had to be disciplined, otherwise, no one would want someone that misbehaves.

Not that it mattered to the boy. Nobody would ever want him, so he felt it was hopeless. He was already a mistake, wasn’t he? No point in even trying, he just wanted to leave this world sooner. There was no purpose. None, not unless he got the key to the gates back, so he could be happy there. Maybe he could try running off and hiding around the mountain, just so the boy could free himself.

The breeze brushed his muddy hair, touching his ear and giving him a chill. “You see boys and girls,” one caretaker spoke, “beneath this mountain, they say there was once an old city. Supposedly, people would worship bizarre gods. Dangerous beasts were down there too, but thankfully, the place collapsed on itself. Nothing is probably left of it now.” The caretaker tried to smile, looking back at the children behind him. “Now then, who wants lunch? We came here for a picnic, not some silly fable I’m sure.”

The boy didn’t want to eat though. He just wanted to leave while everyone was distracted. It was hard to when several caretakers were keeping their eyes open for trouble. He had to wait for a perfect chance, which came when some of the children started running around, trying to play with each other. The caretakers immediately tried to grab them back, attempting to stop the sudden game of tag, which the boy saw as a chance to flee.

He made a run for it. Only a short distance around the mountain, but hopefully enough to be out of sight. The boy just couldn’t bring himself to put up with others any longer. He would rather leave himself out on his own.

“Is that what you want?”

The words, carried by the wind, breezed right past him. The boy stopped in his tracks, looking around to see who spoke to him.

“The key,” it whispered again, “you are close.”

He thought he was hearing things, but was willing to listen to anything involving the key to which opened the gates. Looking around the mountainside, hoping to not be caught by the caretakers, the boy followed wherever it was the voice came from. The boy could feel a soft breeze touching his shoes, as he felt around the rocks. He didn’t know where it was coming from until he lowered his gaze.

A small hole, just between the earth and part of the mountain. A gap he could probably squeeze through if he tried hard enough. Crouching down, the boy examined it further before laying on his stomach. He slid his hands inside first, making sure that there was room to crawl inside and move around. Rough stones, that felt like they could scrape his skin if he wasn’t careful, but there was definitely enough room to slide inside.

He poked his head in first, seeing nothing but darkness ahead. If the boy died there, he believed there wouldn’t really be a loss, so long as he was free. His shoulders went through next, soon finding he was unable to raise them, and had to keep his arms flat on the ground, much like the position his head was in. There was no way of moving forward unless the boy used his feet to push himself forward.

The little space that there was became tighter, rocks scraping his arms in the process. The ground was trying to dig at his chest it felt like, but the boy was thin enough for his gut to not be harmed at the very least. The boy feared that part of his ribs would break from the crawling attempt, at any given moment. It was difficult to breathe, but he kept his lungs pumping, following whatever voice called him from the other side.

Stone now surrounded his head. He was unable to lift it at all, or see much of what was going on. All the boy could do was keep moving in the dark. A gentle, cool breeze was beckoning him to go further. There was not a light to be seen, yet he still did not feel alone. The boy felt someone was watching him, and talking to him, giving him the comfort he needed to go on, rather than trap himself in this potential tomb to be buried alive. He began squinting, just to try and see whatever it was that lied ahead, but his hands acted as his sight more than anything else right now.

He felt a tighter opening with his arms, then realized how wide it was beyond there. An exit, at last? Squeezing his arms through the hole, the boy could feel something soft and moist, like moss. Once his arms were past the opening, he pulled his head out, finally catching a glimpse of something in the dark. His torso soon followed, along with the rest of his body, before finally gaining the freedom to bend his knees. It was a relief, but the boy had no idea where he was now.

Again, too dark to see, and nothing could light the area around him. He could feel the rough scratches on his legs and arms, which had been caused by the tunnel, but chose to ignore them. Bleeding out felt good, especially with the breeze touching his scrapes… where did the wind come from though? Cracks in the walls? The boy could smell water, like a dirty ocean filled with fish.

A soft moan, echoing past where the breeze came from. Was something beyond those walls? Was it yelling? Or was it just snoring? It sounded almost like something was asleep, wanted to wake up, but could not. “The key,” the voice whispered once again, “the book, you are close to it, my child.”

Stretching his arms out, the boy tried to carefully feel whatever may be in front of him. Still too dark to see, yet he was able to catch the sight of a tall shadow. He approached it, able to feel a something made of stone, cold to the touch, yet also damp. A moment of touching it made the boy soon realize he was feeling a pedestal.

The boy was growing so tired, he just wanted to fall asleep, even if nothing was waiting for him. He was so close though, he knew the key for the gate was close, and once had it back, the boy could enter his dream world just like before. On the top of a pedestal, he touched a book. The cover felt as if it was made of some kind of rough skin or flesh, like it was leather. He could not see, so the boy could not read its contents.

Exhaustion was taking over, even when he was coming so close. The boy started to lay down, unable to fight it any longer, using the book as a rest for his head. The crawling had tired him out too much to go on any longer, and the boy certainly had no intention of going back into the tunnel again, anytime soon.

The gate… the Ultimate Gate… this time, during his visit, he would be met with its keeper.

Tall, wearing a cloak, wearing a silver key as a necklace, he approached the boy…

“My child,” he spoke, which the boy recognized as the voice that beckoned him. “You must free us.”

* * *

The moment that the Garuda finished its meal, the bird found its wings tugged, suddenly torn at by the Night-gaunts. It screeched in pain, attempting an escape but it only led to the winds being pulled apart. Feathers were forcefully coming off, flesh began tearing, the Garuda now dripping with blood. The bones of its wings snapped off completely, and soon dropped to the ground, forbidding the bird from flying away.

The Night-gaunts towered over the squirming, screeching bird, who tried to gash at the flying beasts with its beak and talons. Their skin was far too rough, making it too difficult to tear open, unlike the Lamia which the Garuda feasted upon. Before long, the Garuda’s skull was bashed, beak breaking, as the Night-gaunts used their tails like a bludgeon.

Neither Medusa nor Zombikko could make it, cornered by Flying Polyps, which coiled themselves around the two, choking the air out of them. Zombikko’s guts were squeezed out of her rotting flesh, drool pouring out of her jaws, as her decayed body started to fall apart. Soon, the Flying Polyps began gnawing on the Zombikko’s flesh, as well as the Medusa’s hair of serpents, the latter unable to spit venom or immobilize them.

The Siren trudged forward, her skin slowly turning into a sickly pale color. Small, pink eyes began growing on her face, and her fingers were becoming bony. An extra arm was growing out of the Siren’s shoulder. Slaughtered Tyranno and Gorgons were scattered all around, being devoured by humanoid Ghouls. Nothing but little bits of them remained.

Devil, surrounded by many Kosatan, little blue imps which guarded the depths of Lyla’s Ruins, could only watch this spectacle in complete horror. “What… what even is this!?” Devil muttered. He may have been the current ruler of Hell, now that Satan was out of the picture, but he had no idea what exactly it was he was witnessing.

He was afraid— no— beyond terrified more like. These ungodly beasts just walked in, and began eliminating all life in Lyla’s Ruins. Was it because the world had no balance, now that Satan was no longer present? Was this the work of a greater evil?

Impossible.

Devil had taken this throne as his own, with Satan rightfully out of the picture, foolishly chasing the one he called his love. Devil earned his spot as the Dark Prince of Hell. He had proven himself to be a maker of actual chaos when he was just a child, and was more than worthy, no matter what former residents of Lyla thought. They called him immature, believed he was weak… and today, those imbeciles would be proven wrong.

“D-D-D-Diacute!” Devil shouted, casting four balls of light around his body. He could feel his power increasing, and he did not want to miss his shot. Directing the palms of his hands at the many invaders, Devil called his next attack, which was at full power. “F-F-F-Freezing Circle!”

A large, blue circle formed around the monsters, which had pillars of ice shoot up from the inside. Several beasts were pierced, while others felt their bodies freeze, giving Devil a short moment of satisfaction. He could hear screams of death from the Flying Polyps and some of the Ghouls. A few Night-gaunts and Mi-gos flew away, while others got caught in the frosty trap. “Lightning Fall!” Devil called out once again, trying to shoot down the remaining monstrosities.

The rest of the beasts had been shocked to their death, including the seemingly invincible Night-gaunts, with their bodies now looking like cooked leather. The Kosatan imps looked over to Devil, impressed at how calm he was acting. In their eyes, he was truly the next Satan, now that he had matured a bit. There were instances where they did not think he was anywhere as great, but this was the best they could ask for.

He stepped forward, not daring to break his façade and start mumbling questions. Instead, he passed over the bodies of the fallen residents, noting how the Siren was now in a strangely mutated state. She had been struck by the ice, but it was no real loss to Devil, since it seemed like she was not truly there any longer. “Come, we’re not going to waste time mourning them. We need to make sure the rest of the ruins are free of these abominations.” At Devil’s command, the imps followed, flying with him to the upper level.

A monster girl in a red costume, having blue hair and green eyes, had been cornered by… something which frightened Devil more than the other beasts did, mainly because some of them were staring directly at him, with one of their two heads.

Completely naked, either having multiple limbs grow out of certain portions of their body, or none at all. Distortions could be seen in other places, such as the arms, legs, even the fingers and teeth. These things, were they once human? Were they created by some other force? Were they even alive? It made Devil fear for what may happen if he did not do anything. He had to kill them, before they laid a finger on Kaiju.

Charging up his power once again, Devil launched a fiery attack, in hopes of making the humanoid mutations burn to death. “I-I-I-Inferno!” He yelled, casting an eruption of fire from the ground below, torching each of the humanoid mutations. Their bodies quickly became nothing but charred bone and organs, as their frail skin could not handle the intense heat. Limbs began to crumble, no longer able to support themselves, they fell to the floor. Devil didn’t bother waiting to see if they were truly dead, neither did he worry about the area cooling off. He had to try and at least save someone in Lyla’s Ruins that had a chance of survival.

“You there, Kaiju,” Devil called out to her, approaching the frightened girl. He sighed in relief, noting the lack of fatal wounds on her body. “Good, I was afraid no one was left in Lyla.” He tried to remain calm, though some of his worry was indeed, showing quite a bit. “Are you harmed—”

He was cut off by a sudden embrace, as the Kaiju girl began sobbing into his shoulder. All she did was cry Devil’s name, over and over. The Kaiju was never the type to be so frightened, but right now, she scared to the point of tears, wanting this all to be just a nightmare.

It seemed that even creatures that roamed the surface of Hell had a limit. Devil wasn’t sure what to do next. He could seal up Lyla’s Ruins, and try his best to keep those freaks outside, but he was dreadfully curious as to what was going on in the world above him. Was it worse outside, compared to how insane it already was in Lyla’s Ruins? Devil should at least maybe try to understand the source of it, so he can prevent any further intrusions.

That was when he saw it, nearly brushing against his body. A small, pink bump that was on the side of Kaiju’s face. Pulling the girl’s monster hood down, he stared at her suddenly pale skin, with some kind of infection growing on it. Shocked, Devil took a step back, with the Kaiju staring at him in confusion.

Those… things, must have touched her, and managed to give Kaiju whatever mutation they carried. Just like what happened to the Siren. She would most likely go through a hideous transformation soon, and Devil knew of no way to prevent it. “Master Devil?” Kaiju muttered, looking distressed that he pulled away from her. “Why are you backing away from me? I want to be protected, please.” She stepped forward, unaware that her movements were slowed down, and her mind deteriorating. “Master Devil, please. I’m all alone. Everyone is gone, I need comfort, just hold me for a bit longer!”

No other options came to Devil’s mind. Forcing the Kosatan to stand back, he raised an arm, preparing to finish off the Kaiju girl. “Master Devil, don’t,” Kaiju cried, “you know that I’ve done nothing but respect you, so why? Why are you running away? Why do you look like you want to hurt me? Is my devotion not enough?”

He began charging his magic power, ready to strike her. “I’m truly sorry, but this is for your own good.” Devil murmured, preparing to unleash bolts of lightning. “You know I respect all of my devoted servants.” Her lip twitched, wanting to speak to Devil, but Kaiju was only able to say one thing to him.

“Liar.”

That was the Kaiju’s last word as he body was struck by electricity. She fell to the ground, stared at by Devil, hearing the sentence ringing in his head.

Liar, liar…

 

What the hell did that mean!?

“I’m not lying!” Devil snapped, his calm façade coming apart. “What do you mean by that? I respected you, Kaiju!” Tears welled up in his eyes, shocking the fallen girl once more. “I wouldn’t hesitate if it was anyone else, doesn’t that mean anything? You should be happy that I’m not careless, right? Look at me! Only you and the Kosatan imps cared, and you mean to tell me I’m lying—”

Silence? Wait, none of the Kosatan were trying to hold him back? Or tell him to calm himself? Granted, he told them off whenever that happened, but—

Devil wished that they did tell him to cease his actions, now that he was staring at the charred body of one of his most polite followers. He swiftly turned around, seeing that the hall was now empty. Not a single Kosatan was in sight, like they all abandoned him the moment he was called a liar. Did they think he was lying? Did they not care anymore?

“Imps, come back here!” Devil shouted at the top of his lungs, aching his vocal cords. His head was feeling dizzy, he couldn’t think straight. Devil wanted to lash out on whoever was nearby, just to show the difference between respect and disrespect from him. Why did they leave? Were they telling him to grow up?

He wanted to fall to the ground and cry over losing someone that looked up to him, then dared call him a liar. Devil felt lost, more than he ever did before. For once, he wanted Satan to come home, straighten everything out, leave the young demon to his own issues. Devil didn’t want Lyla anymore, if he couldn’t control things as well as Satan.

But he couldn’t. No, Devil wanted to grow up, and see what this was about. “Kaiju,” he sobbed, “I’ll do it. I’ll show how much I respect you, I’ll go out there on my own. I don’t need anyone to back me up, just so I can say I’m telling the truth.”

* * *

 

The man wearing a bag over his head peeked outside of the window. Of all the things to happen, no normal man would expect to find themselves locked in a small house with a succubus, a wizard, an aggressive skeleton, a shady frog merchant, and an old woman. To most people, that would sound like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to kill you. But in this case? All of these things were safer than whatever was going on outside. In fact, one would willingly lock themselves in such a space, after seeing the madness which went on outside.

Not to mention, Choppun was used to just about all of this. Zombies, demons, centaurs? It was all nothing to him. If teenage girls like the ones he cosplayed as could go around beating them up, then he could too. He was gravely mistaken, since he had no magic powers like said girls in his comics, but again, at this point, used to it all.

Wizard couldn’t believe it. He went on an afternoon stroll in hopes of increasing his power, and soon found himself trying to go for shelter, since he was too far from home by then. He tried to fight off those horrible beasts, but they brushed off his magic with ease. Thankfully, the old woman took him in, as she did with others seeking refuge from the sudden calamity.

“What kind of monsters were those?” Muhoho grumbled, looking at the house across from the old woman’s. He could see fellow merchants Lydia and Yoyoyo, along with a barbegazi and a bat girl that had red hair. They were in the same situation no doubt. Muhoho wanted to give a signal but it was far too risky, with how many beasts were searching for blood, or whatever it was. “Those monsters were violent! Did you see the way they tore up that passing Gnoll? Mutilated until nearly nothing was left.”

Even as sadistic as Succubus was, she had zero enjoyment of what she had seen. That poor Gnoll didn’t stand a chance, and neither was the whale wearing makeup. “Monsters, those are not.” The old woman finally spoke, all eyes turning to her. “Monsters are indeed, violent beasts, but they have thoughts no different than humans. The demon, skeletal, and wizard here can attest to that, surely. They all have basic needs, can be selfish, and will act violently to one another. Humanity likes to deny it, but they are no different than beasts.”

It took a moment to sink in, but it was easy to understand. There weren’t any lies or bias in the old woman’s words. It was as if she was speaking entirely from the experience of knowing both sides. “But then,” Succubus spoke, “what are those freaks out there, that we don’t want to be associated with? And who do not want to associate with us, no less?” The old woman didn’t budge, she didn’t change expressions, remaining stoic as ever.

“They were here before us,” she answered, “they were released, to claim their world back. To do so, they have to get rid of all life they deem lower than themselves, reverting it back to the cosmic hell the once knew. They only feed on humans and monsters in hopes of taking their knowledge for a future use. What that is, I am unsure of.”

Everyone felt themselves get the chills from that explanation. Such beasts as these, existing before they were born? Even Succubus, being over a hundred years of age, could not believe it herself. “Hey, hold up now, grandma,” Skeleton-D spoke with a hiccup, “why do you know this anyway, huh? Are you as old as they are, or something? Not that I’m judging, I’ve seen crazier.” Again, the old woman didn’t reply right away, as if she was looking back into the past.

“Years ago, I was told of this very future. One day, Outer Gods would be summoned by man, and not monster. I could do nothing to prevent it, but… I could at least make sure that my granddaughter got out of this endangered world.” She couldn’t even smile, not even once. “She asked about joining a friend, and that was the day I knew, she would be spirited to a safer realm. I remained, just so I could witness the day I dreaded most.”

Choppun and Muhoho found themselves freaking out now, knowing it was their own fault, stuck here for not following “Arle” to wherever she was actually heading. Succubus though, was furious. She didn’t care that “Arle” and nearly everyone was gone, she was angry that this old woman was just sitting there, doing nothing but watching it. “You won’t do anything? Surely you’re powerful enough, and can risk the few years of life you have left!” She snapped. “You already sent off your grandkid, so now what? Shouldn’t we be all coming up with a plan to stop it?” She almost wanted to crack her whip right now, if not for the monsters being able to possibly hear the noise.

“That’s suicide!” Choppun retorted, trying to keep his voice down. “You saw what they did, right? Not worth it, nope. I’m powerless, so is Muhoho, that skeleton is too drunk, and even Wizard over there said his magic wasn’t too effective!” Skeleton-D, mildly offended, immediately chugged down a bottle of red wine that he found in the cabinet, even if it just proved Choppun was right.

Muhoho scratched his head, thinking over the circumstances. “I don’t know. On one hand, it’s safer than here than anywhere else as far as we know. But on the other, if there is a more ideal location, where we have less chance of being cornered,” he pointed in the direction of the other shelter, “we could ask Lydia and her company to help us. Maybe we could shuffle over and strategize with them?”

Groaning, Wizard leaned against a wall. Skeleton-D offered the wine bottle to him, but he refused, knowing that now wasn’t the time to drink. He had to hope that somehow, his family would find him— moreover, he prayed that they were safe. He almost began to regret leaving home today, what depressed him even more, was that he still had no idea where his sister was, much less if she was alive at this point.

“No,” Succubus said, “I’m not staying here. I am not going to give this beautiful world to a bunch of ugly beasts that want their land back. I’m going to fight, and make them bow to me!” She began making her way over to the door. The old woman didn’t bother trying to stop her, but Choppun immediately grabbed the demon’s arm.

“Are you crazy!? Didn’t you hear me before? You’ll die!” Even Skeleton-D, who loved to fight, had to actually agree with Choppun on that. He had his limit. Same with Wizard, who already found himself to be useless against the abominations outside. “More over, you open that door and walk out, guess what? They’ll know we’re here! Do you want us to get killed too?”

She hesitated, realizing that indeed, this would put everyone there at risk. It wasn’t like she cared about these people that she barely knew, but Succubus wasn’t heartless. She knew that Skeleton-D had a brother, and had been quite friendly with the Water Element. Wizard had a family, that much she knew. Muhoho had Nohoho, the old hag here had a granddaughter, and Choppun…

… Did Choppun have anything? That was kind of depressing, now that she thought about it. As far as Succubus was aware, Choppun didn’t have many known relatives that cared for him. He got friendly with a few weird characters, but the majority found him to be a creep and a nuisance. Really, he was a pervert, no different than Succubus herself and Incubus. She almost felt sorry for how pathetic he was.

“At the first sign that they sense us,” Succubus grumbled, “I’m breaking out, and we should all scatter. It’s too dangerous to stay together in one spot. It would be better to confuse them.” That was something they could all agree on for now. Hopefully though, they wouldn’t be found for a while. Even better would be if these monstrosities went away before they all got hungry.

The old woman however, could only dream that Chico and her pet were safe, and that things would go by quickly. She did not know much about the horrific gods behind this, and she hoped to never meet them, in fear that she may go insane before death.

* * *

How long had she been laying on the ground? How long had no one noticed her? Did those beasts just all assume that she was dead?

Lala slowly got up and held her head, amazed that she lived after witnessing that gigantic, winged deity. What was it Brother F called him? Cthulhu? That name was quite ridiculous, but perhaps it made sense, being that it was given to an ancient creature. An entrance had been created by the giant creature, right on the side of the mountain. A cavern, which trailed below the earth. There appeared to be a large flight of stairs, at a certain point, which Lala didn’t expect. Was there a ruin down there?

If Brother F had gone down there, then she would have to go as well. Lala wasn’t going to turn around and give up. She promised herself to stop that madman, and avenge everyone who had fallen because of him. Bloodied scarf blowing in the wind, Lala carefully made her way down to the entrance that was made. It was dark, almost impossible to see much further, but Lala was prepared for an instance like that.

Pulling a Light Ball out of her pocket, she activated it with a bit of magic, hoping it would last the entire way down. There wasn’t much time to waste, even if chances were, Lala would be facing awful monsters again, like she did in that sacrificial cave. She wasn’t sure if an illusion spell would work this time. It may not be good enough to keep things away from her, especially if they could sense she was human.

Small, rat-like creatures scurried across Lala’s path, making her want to scream. A normal rat was one thing, and completely harmless, but whatever she just saw, had the ears of an ape, giant yellow eyes, and tendrils where its nose was.

“Halt!” A voice called out to her, able to note Lala’s presence from afar. “Are you a member of the Deep Circle? Or are you pursuing this generation’s incarnation of 'Umr at-Tawil, current holder of the Silver Key?”

He showed himself, having bluish-grey skin, awkwardly bent legs, horizontal pupils, and a snout which resembled that of a tapir. Lala was surprised to see that for a change, she was meeting a creature able to speak to her. “You mean Brother F?” She questioned, unsure what this would lead to, other than a fight. “Who are you anyway?”

“Wizard of the Yaddithian race,” he declared, “Zkauba.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh geez, three weeks, what the heck is wrong with me? That should not have taken so long.
> 
> Well, I got distracted by Miitopia is what happened.. very addicting game.
> 
> I should probably point out that Kaiju and Kosatan (lit. child Satan) are prototype MSX characters, for those that don't know them I guess.


	11. Manifestations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lala fights Zkauba the Wizard, before finally cornering Brother F!

He didn’t want to wake up. The boy wanted to stay in the dream world and speak with his newfound mentor, but alas, the job had to be passed down to him. All that the boy could do now was return to the dreadful world he knew, and study the given instructions, lest he was to make the same mistake as the last person who held the key. According to the hooded man, a wizard ended up sharing his body with a mortal man who fooled around with the power he held.

'Umr at-Tawil, had passed down his legacy down to a mere boy. One that felt he had no purpose for so long, a boy who only saw his existence as a mistake, being that he was born by accident. 'Umr at-Tawil, made him see the purpose of his life, and that was to give this wretched world back to the Outer Gods that once claimed it. A world tainted by monsters, humans, and every little creature that walked on it, must be returned back to its former, natural beauty.

Stuffing the book down his shirt, which in turn, was tucked beneath his pants, the boy crawled back through the tight cavern, trying his hardest to not damage any part of the book. He was willing to scratch up his arms and legs, but could not let anything happen to the book that he was borrowing.

The key now belonged to him. It dangled around his neck, hidden under his shirt along with the book. The silver string wasn’t strong enough to choke him, if he ended up snagging it on something by accident that was. 'Umr at-Tawil was smart enough to make sure this boy would not accidentally kill himself on the way out, otherwise, the process would fail. He could see the light, peeking just ahead of him. Centipedes began scattering away, fearing the human, which was much larger than them.

He began hearing voices, which were calling his name. Once his head and hands emerged from the gap, he felt a tight grip twisting his wrists. “Let go,” the boy grumbled in pain, “I can get out of this myself, it’s—”

Wincing from the pain of being forcefully moved out, and also fearing the book would be damaged, the boy began to cry out as two of the caretakers removed him. “What do you think you’re doing? Trying to get yourself killed!?” A man began to shout, forcing the boy to stand up straight. “You could have been crushed to death in there you realize? This place is not a playground!”

He couldn’t even think up a response. The tucking of his shirt came undone, the book immediately falling out from there. The boy’s eyes widened, while the caretaker just stared at it. “You shouldn’t be collecting junk either,” the man sighed in frustration, scooping it off the ground. Curiosity got to the man, as he opened up the book like nothing was wrong, expecting only to find worn pages containing journal entries of the sort. The boy wanted to stop him but realized it would be for the better if this fool took a peek after all.

He didn’t say a word as the man found his eyes glued to the images inside. His sanity was quickly slipping away, and there was nothing he could do about it other than scream.

* * *

Lala stared at the Yaddithian before her, unsure if she should attack, or just move on with a lie. He was most likely too smart for a simple trick, even if Lala were to use an illusion. “I assume you are against the Silver Key’s holder, being the filthy, trouble-making mammal you are.” Zkauba scoffed, holding his staff up straight. “You are a sorcerer, much like myself but weaker, I can see. At the same time, you have a power that is great in the right hands. What a shame it must be wasted on a child.”

“Mammal?” Lala muttered, confused by the peculiar form of disgust that the wizard had. “Isn’t Brother F no different than us? Why would the likes of you otherworldly beasts work with a human?” Wondering if she could get all her answers from Zkauba, Lala kept the questions coming. “What exactly is the end goal here? This is craziness so far! Killing innocent lives, just to get rid of monsters and bring in more gruesome ones?”

He snorted in amusement at both of those questions, having no doubt that this girl was as childish and stupid as she seemed. “You are an imbecile to think my alliance with Brother F is a willing one. I have a begrudging respect for that strawberry-obsessed lecher, but nothing more. 'Umr at-Tawil requested that I aid him, since Brother F was to be his successor. I despise humans, especially since my body and mind were stolen by one.” He stared at the palm of his hand, worrying that it would suddenly change, even when he knew it would not happen. “He believes that humanity should ascend to a better existence, while I would prefer if most of you selfish creatures would rot.”

“We’re not monsters, we don’t take whatever we like!” Lala retorted, her blood starting to boil.

“No?” Zkauba questioned. “You humans do not lash out and take lives? Out of jealousy, fear, or lust? Childish girl, you don’t want to face reality, do you?” Taking offense to his statement, Lala immediately prepared a magic spell. Zkauba could feel her anger, her frustration over those mere words. “My words seem to have stung you,” Zkauba spoke, “you are becoming frustrated. Very well, let us speak no more. Instead, we shall see who is the superior user of magic, something that should not be a contest for me…

“Unnamable!” He shouted, calling out a spell with no physical form. Lala winced, feeling some kind of haunting over her body, one that weakened her with every passing second. Zkauba chuckled at her predicament, watching the girl fall to her knees for a moment. “Pitiful, that was a mere spell from this world, and you already collapse.” He remained still, not wanting to finish Lala where she stood, finding that it would be too easy. “The fool I am forced to cooperate with, he is no different than the one who took my body.” He began to explain, hoping it would satisfy Lala’s questions. “He wished to escape reality, and could not flock to his dreams. Both found 'Umr at-Tawil, who told them the truth of the universe.”

Part of Lala really did not care about any of that in the slightest. She didn’t want to hear this alien’s backstory, she wanted to fully understand Brother F’s goal. Zkauba could tell he was being ignored too, just from how Lala wasn’t hesitating on her attack. “Ohn!” Lala yelled, casting an old incantation over Zkauba.

He didn’t even flinch. There was a bit of pain, but it wasn’t dreadful enough for him. “Pitiful,” Zkauba scoffed, “you realize that all lower beings here, are nothing but manifestations of something greater? Those are the words that 'Umr at-Tawil— no, Yog— gave to both men who sought the Silver Key. The one who took my body became selfish, but the other remained on his path.” Zkauba prepared his next move, watching Lala hold her head in pain from his previous attack. “That is why I resent him, but also respect him. Even you, child, are nothing but a worthless doll, standing in place until the original creator returns?”

“I don’t care about that!” Lala snapped, her left eye twitching from the pain she was going through. “I can face the truth, I’m not just some kid, I’m as grown as everyone else I know!” She struggled to use her next spell, which allowed Zkauba to take his time even more.

“If that was true, then you would be listening, instead of struggling. You would rather brush off whatever it is people say to you, and keep going at your own pace, is that right?” Before he could get a violent response in the form of a spell, Zkauba finished his preparations. “Kadath!” He shouted, casting a spell that glowed like the sunset.

Rather than the haunting pains, this time, Lala felt her body was at ease. It was like she could lay down and die, any moment she wanted. “It’s alright,” Zkauba said as he towered over her, “that man, he would say that the likes of you deserve to die peacefully. I don’t completely agree with it, but I do think it would keep you from writhing like a worm. You should lay there, and accept that you are no match for me.”

Laying down and dying, in the middle of a cave filled with unknown horrors. Disgusting, but yet, Lala wouldn’t mind going this way. There was an odd comfort to it, something that she would have never imagined. The floor was becoming soft, she was at a warm, comfortable temperature, and her brain was starting to shut down. Was she falling asleep? Was her conscious slipping again? Or was Lala actually dying for real this time? It wasn’t like she could fight it, her body kept welcoming the thought of ascending to a higher plane, even if that’s exactly what Brother F would have wanted.

She didn’t know if it was possible to physically feel one’s soul leaving their body, but that’s what Lala felt right now as she lied there. Her body went completely numb, feeling herself slip away. Maybe this is something she wanted after all, especially after the aching Lala had just gone through.

What would Miss Fae say about this?

Wasn’t this basically proving Zkauba’s point?

“Such a simpleton,” Zkauba murmured, “she would exchange her life for a moment of peace than face the painful reality. As expected of someone so young. If only I had done this to the one fool, before he could snatch my body and mind. But he was an older gentleman, and not a gullible child.” He touched Lala’s neck, feeling it go from warm to cold. That was enough for him to know that his job was finished.

No one was bound to get in Brother F’s way. That was the only person he had seen intentionally pursuing the Deep Circle’s leader, and hopefully, it would be the last too. There was no need to sacrifice this girl, as far as Zkauba was aware at least. Even if Brother F needed one last soul for anything else, this one probably wouldn’t be of any value. Nothing the wizard could do about it either, since she had probably left this world by now. “You will not be able to see this world transform into the former beauty it once was, but in my humble opinion, you mammals don’t deserve to witness it.”

Blood was all that Lala could smell, and even then, the scent was slipping away from her. Fae’s blood, still on the green scarf. The aroma was close to her, making Lala fear death. She was at ease, yes, but she did not want to be torn apart by whatever beasts lurked close by. Even if Lala would soon feel nothing, she couldn’t stand the thought of her corpse being found, mutilated by the unknown.

Lala could be found in an unrecognizable state if she followed death, but if she hung onto life, she could share whatever horrid fate came to Headmaster Juju. Was he still alive, and aware what he was doing? Lala didn’t know what he came into contact with, but it seemed like a fate far worse than death. Post-mortem wounds and goring didn’t sound so bad after all, even if it was humiliating.

But the blood, it was so strong. It overwhelmed her more than all the horrid, damp stenches in this underworld…

“To think that this is the only human smart enough to follow the Deep Circle’s leader.” Zkauba huffed, his toes lightly tapping the ground, not making a single sound as he walked away from the peaceful scene. “How weak. Even a mere monster could hold a better fight against us.”

Perhaps setting up a barrier would be a good idea. If any other jobs had to be finished, Zkauba could cooperate with Brother F on it, even though he did not want to. Raising his staff once more, he began chanting in his native, alien tongue. Such words were beyond human comprehension, not that they were to be heard by anyone else.

 

 

“Goku!”

So Zkauba thought, at least. He jolted, seeing that Lala had gotten back onto her feet. She had been storing her power this whole time, and the alien wizard didn’t notice it at all. His body felt heavy, like he was the one to fall this time. Knees becoming weak, the only form of support he had was the staff he carried. Zkauba refused to humiliate himself in front of a sickening mammal, he would not satisfy this girl with the sight of him collapsing face first. “You should have let death take you calmly, and painlessly. Must I provide a more vicious display for you?” Zkauba questioned, grunting as he tried to stand up straight.

“Ongoku!” Lala shouted next, putting Zkauba in a rather drowsy state this time. The weak, heavy-feeling along with the need to sleep was making him panic. If the girl continued what she was doing, then soon, he would lose control. Zkauba couldn’t let that happen, not when he and Brother F had already suppressed the one lurking inside. He would have to take drastic measures and finish this human with a spell from Yaddith, if she were to go this far.

Lala could barely handle the Unnamable spell, so a version originating from his superior realm would no doubt be even worse for the human girl. “I will not let my body be taken before you are forced to fall,” Zkauba hissed, “I would sooner die than let the filthy mammal control me once again!”

Just as he was prepared to call his bizarre incantation, Lala cast her next move immediately, making sure she was going for a critical attack. “Ongoku!” She repeated, hoping that it would knock him out cold, rather than just send him into a slumbering state. Soon, however, Lala felt a wave of pain take over her body, cast by Zkauba, who was making all sorts of inhumane noises. He was struggling to not slip into a state of unconsciousness, much like Lala did, but the magic he called pathetic, was now proving to be too much for him in multiple doses.

He lost control. No longer could Zkauba be the dominant personality, and it wouldn’t be long before his lesser manifestation took over. If not for him openly stating that he shared his presence with a human in another world, Lala would have finished him off, without a single remorse for who this creature was. She was obviously becoming numb to the situation, if Lala found herself less hesitant to act violently.

Whoever that man was, they would have to be separated from the alien at some point, and Lala hoped that stopping Brother F would do just that. Lala could kill an unpleasant beast, a wicked sorcerer, and at this point an insane cult leader— which is who she was after— but she couldn’t bring herself to murder a man that was somehow joined his mind with a creature.

This pain though… it wasn’t as if Lala had the strength to use up much power anyway. She dug through her pockets, finding some vegetables that had been pickled in soy sauce. Pity she didn’t have a plate of curry rice on her, but it would have to do for now. Lala didn’t plan on eating things like the parts of a dragon like Arle would. All the monsters had put her off of devouring anything with meat for a while, especially when parasites could be spreading themselves around.

She could feel a bit of energy coming back to her, but only by a small margin. Lala tried to walk normally, going at a slow pace, so she wouldn’t tire herself out or bump into anything dangerous again, but every couple of steps made her feel weary again. Had she been poisoned by Zkauba? Was that the kind of spell he used before falling? Lala went through her pocket once more, finding an herb with antidote properties. She recalled Arle using this upon encountering venomous spiders that were in the tower during the graduation exam. Lala couldn’t stand the sight of spiders, but right now, she would rather have them over what the world was putting up with right now. A few bugs were small and harmless in comparison, minding their own business, rather than actively slaughtering people.

Lala munched on the herb, but found no changes in her physical condition. Perhaps it would take a bit more time for the effects to kick in, is what Lala figured. The lightheadedness was getting to her, making Lala mutter vulgar words under her breath. Normally, she would never be the kind of girl that one would see swearing, but her boundaries had been pushed lately, and she didn’t care anymore.

A shadow was against the wall. The shape was one that Lala had seen when she was imprisoned, thus she could immediately recognize it. This was the shadow of Brother F. It could not have been anyone else, since the image had been burned into Lala’s mind. She ignored the pods emitting smoke that were around her, even if they clouded Lala’s sight and mind, she did not want to take care of them. Lala only wanted to focus on the man that took away the people she knew and respected.

This smoke though, only made Lala drift away from the one she was pursuing. She could not see, nor could she breathe. The pain was swelling through her body, little droplets of tears were coming out of her eyes, exhaustion taking over yet again.

“Dammit,” she coughed, “where are you?” Lala tried to listen for his steps, but soon realized they were going the other way. She turned around, trying to go back on the correct path. Lala attempted to sprint, only to find herself growing weaker from using her energy. This was not good. Brother F would be far away from her, and she would be lying on the ground again. Could she lure him out? In this dangerous place? It may have been smarter to play it safe and hide, so Lala could recover, but she was too frustrated.

“Come on out!” Lala shouted, dropping to her knees, scraping them in the process. Her voice became scratchy, having the need for water. Looking in her pockets again, Lala hoped to find a drink of some sort. A tiny bottle of sake. It wouldn’t help her thirst exactly, Lala only drank alcohol if she needed to recover magic, at this point, it was better than nothing though. Popping off the tiny cork, she held the bottle, which was smaller than her hand. It was almost like a flask, except even lighter. Lala was regretting not filling this container with water, but magician’s often needed alcohol more than anything.

Before the bottle could even touch her lips, it slipped out of her shaky hands. Lala was appalled, seeing the contents, what little they were, spilled onto the ground.

Lala fell along with it, crying over the spilled drink. It was pathetic, and childish in Lala’s mind, being left with nothing and sobbing over her own mistake. The steps were getting louder, but Lala couldn’t hear them over the ringing in her head.

By the time Lala was unconscious, she did not see that Brother F had followed the cries for his presence, and was now standing before her.

* * *

He didn’t know how he did it, considering he wasn’t the most physically fit sort of man, but Brother F managed to carry her like a princess, all of the way to the lost city, that buried beneath the mountains. R’lyeh, with its strange, unimaginable architecture, which could be considered either horrific or beautiful, depending on who was asked. In the case of Brother F, he considered the place to be a sanctuary. Possibly a literal heaven in this dreadful world, and it was a blessing for someone to lay their eyes upon it.

“Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn,” he muttered, “In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waited, dreaming… but now, he no longer has to. He is free to change the world, and soon, his grandfather and many more will join.” Brother F laid Lala near a small fountain, which was shaped in a horrific way. He stared at her for a good moment, mainly her clothes, and how much her red and white outfit reminded him of a strawberry, just like it did last time.

Brother F carried her for over an hour, and could only wonder about who this girl was. She was a student of the one he had sacrificed, and had the same kind of magic, but he desired to know more. Someone going out of their way like this was worth his time and attention. Perhaps there was a way to convert her to the side of the Deep Circle? A majority of the participating parties did not survive the onslaught of higher beings. Last time he had asked her, the only answer he got was an insult. Brother F saw no point in having her as an ally, other than to make the final act go along more smoothly.

He carefully began to open Lala’s mouth with his gloved hands. Her pink lips were becoming dry, practically begging for water. Brother F cupped his hands together, placing them inside of the fountain. Taking a small portion of water, he trickled it down into Lala’s mouth. Some of the water fell onto her face, which was fine by Brother F. The sooner she woke, the better. As he watched Lala begin to stir and swallow the water given to her, Brother F reached for a small basket, along with a knife.

Lala opened her eyes at the worst possible moment. She saw Brother F, with a weapon, but was too weak to move. He did not even see that she was awake, reaching for the inside of the basket close to him. It was filled with strawberries, red and white, much like the dress that Lala was wearing. Brother F began to cut them into little slices, preparing to give one to Lala, until he saw that she had woken up.

“You regained consciousness?” Brother F questioned, noting how Lala’s eyes were open, and how she was attempting to move around. “Please, do not struggle. You cannot move right because Zkauba’s cast one of his brilliant spells on you. Truly, he is the only sorcerer I look up to. No simple medicine can remove what has been inflicted on you.” Putting the sliced strawberries and knife aside, Brother F began hovering his hands over Lala’s face.

She winced, she hated the thought of this cretin being so close to her. Brother F could do whatever he wished. He could kill her, torture her, feed her to those beasts, or something unspeakable— and Lala had no idea what it was that he was up to right now. At the very least, if she regained control, Lala could expose him. She knew that he was human, Zkauba referred to him as such, and Lala was willing to talk down to him over it, saying he was no different than everyone else. Right now though, she was too mortified to say a word.

“Reanimator,” Brother F chanted, as a yellow-green glow emerged from his gloved hands. Somehow, Lala felt the weakness being removed from her body, like she was healing somehow. “This is not a mere spell, but a form of holy power that I learned from the book which guided me. It allows the body to become animated once again, whether they be dead or alive.” Going back to the slices strawberries, Brother F didn’t take his eyes off of Lala. She had escaped her containment somehow, so it meant that she would most likely lash out again him.

“You murdered Fae,” Lala accused, “why did you help me when my life could have been tossed to those beasts you call upon? Huh?” She questioned, getting back up onto her feet. “What’s special about me to spare, when I’m just a manifestation of something or whatever, like your ugly long-nosed freak of a friend said?”

“Your teacher pleaded that I do not harm you, Lala. The Outer Gods do not desire your soul for awakening.” Offering her the strawberries, Lala promptly kicked them out of his hands. “You really should eat something to recover your strength. I have no intention of fighting you. Unless you truly believe you can finish me off, this is not the appropriate place for you to try and take my life.” He then looked at the strawberries and grumbled, displeased that his generosity was thrown onto the ground like it was garbage. “You believe that those higher beings are beasts? Truly, you must be blinded.”

Irritated, Lala reached for the knife. She primarily used magic, but she wanted this monster to feel the same way Fae did, as a form of justice. Brother F backed away, unsure what to do, other than possibly fight in self-defense. “I don’t care if this is where you want to die or not. The crimes you made against your own kind… I’m going to show you that you’re just like them!” In a fit of rage, Lala lunged at him, trying to stab the cult leader. “Your own gods could throw you in as a sacrifice any moment!”

“I am aware,” Brother said calmly, “I accept that. I love the Outer Gods enough to give myself if I ever needed to.” She forced herself to wait. With how angry she was right now, Lala couldn’t properly strike Brother F. It was better to wait until his guard was lowered. “You have problems, I can see. Perhaps if I unlock your mind with the Silver Key, you can accept all that is wrong. With both the world and yourself.” Brother F reached for the key that was hiding inside of his cloak, preparing to flash Lala with it, much like he did with the mountain.

Lala saw that as her chance, right when he was trying to get the key around his neck. She jumped at him again, screaming as she tore his robe with the knife, hoping to plunge it into his neck. He gasped in shock, watching as his robe was shredded down the middle. Lala jumped again, this time aiming for his face, trying to pull off what was covering him so she could take his eyes out.

That was when for the first time, she saw his hidden face.

Lala dropped the knife in horror. She had pinned down Brother F by what would have been his throat, unsure if she should try strangling him anyway.

She could not kill him even if she tried, it seemed like. Only a small portion of Brother F’s face and body resembled a young man. The rest was either complete bone, rotted flesh, or covered in… something.

Lala had no clue what sort of horror was growing on Brother F. Eyeballs and sets of teeth were growing on his arms, legs, and pelvic region. No skin was on his chest, revealing his ribs. Beneath the cage, was more of the disgusting mutation, tentacles replacing his veins, which clouded his heart.

This man— if you could call him that— was not alive, but at the same time he was somehow. He was human, but yet he also wasn’t at all. Lala stared deeply into his eyes. One of the eyeballs had sunken into the socket, overtaken by the strange, parasitic life, while the other was completely intact. The color was a dull, green one, yet Lala could not stop staring into them.

“So now you have seen me,” Brother F sighed, removing his gloves while Lala kept staring in horror. “It was only a matter of time, before one saw why I hid myself.” Raising his exposed hands, Brother F began to caress her face. The texture of his hands felt disgusting. Lala trembled as she felt a mouth open on the palm of Brother F’s left hand. It was breathing against her skin.

Lala felt herself completely freeze in fear, knowing that it was him, and only him that was breathing on him. It was hot, and wet, the worst thing about it was how Lala, upon looking over Brother F’s body, saw that he was not breathing at all. His body was not rising like a person would upon breathing in.

That wasn’t air that was brushing her face, but rather, a tongue.

Brother F lowered his hand, away from Lala’s face after feeling her, still locked into her eyes. “For whatever reason there is,” he muttered softly, “I am glad it was you, that got to see my whole body.”

“What are you?” Lala gagged, not wanting to make contact with him any further. She felt the need to wash her hands and face, she wanted to tear out his disgusting anatomy with the blade, but now feared it would backfire on her. Lala didn’t want to look at him, yet also couldn’t force herself to turn away.

“It’s exactly as you said, wasn’t it?” Brother F questioned, getting back up on his feet. The torn cloak fell to the ground, leaving him exposed until he began wrapping the cloth around his hips. He wasn’t humiliated in the slightest over the fact that someone had forcefully stripped him to nothing. If anything, he felt free, no need to hide anymore. “I am human.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You would think since Tower of the Magician's 20th anniversary was coming, this chapter would be about Wish and Dark Matter… sorry that isn't the case. ;;
> 
> Brother F, Fudoushi, and Dark Matter… undead antagonist trio? Lol.


	12. Fear the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Lala is cornered by Brother F, hope arrives. But does it last?

That man was declared insane after opening the book, and the others saw no other choice but to take care of the problem. Many debated the book’s origins, such as possibly coming from demons or witches. All were in agreement that no matter what the boy said it was, it had to be either put away or destroyed.

The first caretaker said the book should be locked away, nice and safe, so no one could reach it. However, the boy somehow got it back, outside of the hiding spot. The boy denied being the one to snoop around, while this caretaker ended up having nightmares.

The second caretaker thought tearing it apart was the only option. Making sure not to look directly at its contents like the one who had been discharged, she ripped the pages to shreds, getting several paper cuts in the process. Still, the boy took his book back, somehow gluing the pages together, good as new. This caretaker had her hands grow swollen from the cuts, filled with pus.

The third caretaker tried to take it far away and bury it under the ground somewhere. The book was once again, seen in the boy’s hands, without a spot of dirt anywhere to be seen. People believed that a decoy must have been used, or the book had never been taken at all, but that caretaker didn’t return from his digging trip.

The fourth caretaker, furious at how the book kept coming back, suggested that it be burned. Covering it with oils, then lighting a match, the book went up in flames. The ashes were then carried by the wind, in hopes that would be the last of it… but the book came back again, in perfection condition, while that caretaker had his eyes and lungs permanently damaged by the smoke.

The fifth, and final caretaker, was the only one left now. The first couldn’t get good rest, the second couldn’t work with swollen fingers, the third never returned, and the fourth was blinded. Along with that, the sixth went insane from viewing the book’s contents. Other than the director, who did not step in too often, the “vile hag” was on her own, overworked and stressed.

She left him there. She didn’t want to bother with that boy. No matter what she said, she was ignored by him. Messing with him and that book would be a foolish thing to do. The only thing the caretaker could do was try to make the boy take his medicine, even though she knew these attempts would be rejected.

“Please my child, won’t you please take your medicine?” She requested, peeking in from the boy’s door. “I know you dislike when I ask, but it would make the both of us feel better, I’m certain.” Glancing at the caretaker, the boy gave her a long, uneasy stare. It was as if he was looking down upon her. If she was going to have herself belittled by a moody teenager, the caretaker would be heavily tempted to fight back, even if the book there would punish her.

The boy could see the vial in her hands, containing a clear liquid. “It won’t make me feel better. I’ve told you, I only become numb, like I’m in a trance. You just want to make yourself happier by having me be less of a problem.” He watched the caretaker’s expression become increasingly offended by his words, as he followed it with a surprising response. “Leave it here.”

Her eyes widened, hands shaking as she carried the small vial. The caretaker reached for a glass but was immediately interrupted. “No, the whole bottle. I can take the proper amount myself.” The caretaker didn’t bother arguing. She wanted this done with and out of the way, just as the boy had said. Putting up with this nonsense was taking a toll on her mental health, so she was just going to give in and leave. The boy could tell that she was afraid though.

In his mind, he believed that “hag” was afraid because he had gotten back the key to his dream world. She took it away, and now it was back in his hands, there was nothing that she could do when the boy was in his own little world.

He would take his medicine, just after everyone was asleep.

* * *

“You see me as a monster, and act hostile because you do not understand what I am.” Brother F explained, while Lala found herself immobilized with fear and confusion. “The higher creatures do not understand people or monsters. The Outer Gods demand that this planet to be cleansed, but this is a world that puzzles all we bring together. That is why things must go to their original state, without the fear of monsters!” He exclaimed, stretching out his bony arms, covered in a disgusting, fleshy life.

“Even when they are under my rational thought, they do not understand and become violent. It is the same with how people are with these higher beings. All fear what they do not know, and as I know all, I end up fearing nothing.” He drifted forward with unnatural movements. Brother F could walk like a person, but the way his knees bent felt so wrong to Lala, and his posture was questionable. “There is one thing I fear for whatever reason, and it seems to be you, Lala. Something about your presence makes me anxious.”

She wasn’t Arle, she couldn’t think of a snappy comeback on the spot, or act out when Brother F came close to her. “It’s something,” Brother F muttered, “about you chasing the shadows, your once innocent mindset. So fascinating, it draws me in.” Reaching his hands out once more, Brother F desired to hold her face like he had before. It was like some kind of magnetic pull, drawing him to Lala.

“This strawberry colored cloth you wear,” he whispered, “your golden locks that reflect the sun, eyes like the deep, blue ocean, which pull me into confusion, no different than a whirlpool.” Startled and unnerved by his words, Lala took a step back, preparing a spell, only for her wrist and chin to be grabbed by the cult leader. “Your sweet scent, which burned me as I carried you… your fair lips, reminding me of a soft, developing fruit. Meanwhile, I have nothing but some kind of fungus growing on my dead skin.”

Lala tried to close her eyes, she had to try to ignore what she was hearing, and pretend it was someone else. Someone she wanted, even if they didn’t exist. “The entirety of myself frightens and disgusts you,” Brother F spoke, “and at the same time, the spell you cast has left me terrified. But we are both human, with opposing views, and I will only treat you as such. Human, not one to be placed on a pedestal for this captivation.”

He began to push himself away, smiling at Lala. “Despise me,” he said, “prove my point, call me a monster for who I am and what I do, even if it is for the greater good. The truth is I am no different than you, and will not hurt you without being provoked.” His grip was not tight at all, and almost gentle, even with the mouth on his hand pressing against Lala’s wrist. she could feel the teeth, slimy and cold, but not biting her. “Are you preparing to strike me? Then you should wait. This is not the appropriate place for—”

“Ohn!”

Struck by a great amount of power, Brother F was flung aside. Lala just stared, fully aware that it wasn’t her who had done that. She did not think the situation could become gradually worse until she saw him.

Taller than Brother F and Lala, tentacles, violet strands of hair with bits of his brain showing. “Pardon me for interrupting,” he spoke, “I just wanted to make sure you were here, cultist. Were those things back there meant to stop me? Because some of them didn’t even bother. I must be too much for them.” Examining Lala, Fudoushi immediately took notice to the green scarf that she was wearing, coated in blood. “So you’re Fae’s student? I had given that to her, you know.”

Touching the scarf, it was as soft as he recalled, making Fudoushi feel nostalgic for a moment. “It’s a pity, really. I did not wish for her to go before I did, even with all of my fears. I’m happy to know that my teachings didn’t make her feel ashamed, despite what I had done. Pleased to meet you, student of Fae!” Fudoushi chuckled, making sure Brother F stayed down. “In case a child like you wondered what laid in that old tower for graduation exams, you’re looking at the monster now.”

Grunting, Brother F got up to his feet. “You’re the beast that the teacher had spoken of, are you not? She requested that the likes of you stop taking the lives of others with no purpose other than to turn them to the undead like yourself.” He finally began reaching for the knife that Lala had dropped earlier, hoping to try and create a wound on this hideous necromancer.

“Hey now, are you in any position to talk? You sacrifice humans to bring up some outer beings. Gaining the trust of other people, claiming to save them, when really they’ll end up dead.” Fudoushi smirked, shifting towards Brother F, knowing that he was armed. “I did it because I once feared death, and now just have fun with the state I’m in. What’s your excuse, kid?”

Grumbling, Brother F raised the knife. “You wouldn’t understand this, it’s to save humanity of misery, being killed by monsters and living in a world not meant for them!” Rather than jumping at Fudoushi, Brother F simply tossed the knife at the undead’s face. “The world must be wiped, and people will be moved to a world where they will be safe!”

He didn’t even flinch. Fudoushi stood there, the blade stuck in between his mouth and nostrils. “Good throwing arm you have there.” Fudoushi complimented, noting how deep the knife was stuck in his face. His rotten flesh made a whole tear of skin come off of his face, revealing his decayed gums and teeth. “You really got it stuck in there. I’m impressed, but I’m afraid it isn’t as painful as it looks. It takes a great force of power to do damage to me.”

Lala stared at the newly made gash in Fudoushi’s dead skin and gums. Some of his teeth had been chipped in the process. “Pupil, listen here,” Fudoushi spoke, “don’t get involved with this buffoon, I’m familiar with men like him.” Lala wanted to object, believing she was the one that should face Brother F for his crimes, until Fudoushi cut her off. “The both of us want to make things right for Fae, don’t we? Well, I should be the one redeeming myself. A youth like you needs to live.”

She didn’t know what to do. Lala didn’t know who this monster was, but he claimed to know Fae, and by the sound of it, he probably met Arle too. Here he was though, helping her. Lala actually would have preferred the idea of combining her power with this supposed tutor of Miss Fae’s, but Lala wasn’t too certain on trusting Fudoushi entirely either.

It wasn’t what she wanted to do, but Lala could only find one option, and that was run out of there.

Brother F watched as Lala faded from his sights, focusing only on Fudoushi once she was gone. “I did not wish to harm her anyway,” Brother F stated, “after all, Miss Fae requested that. How sad, that she trusted and asked me of things over you, the one who taught her magic. She is in a better place now though, away from the likes of yourself.”

Fudoushi stood there, silently. His facial expression didn’t change, but he could definitely feel something boiling inside of him. The same kind of thing he felt when facing off against Juju. What was it again?

Oh right, anger. Yes, Fudoushi was furious. He was face-to-face with the one who killed his student, and this imbecile was openly taunting him about trust. He really wanted to snap this moron’s neck, but that would be too easy. No, Fudoushi was going to make sure he felt things slowly, and painfully, such as digging into his organs made of tendrils perhaps.

“Dunwich Horror!” Brother F chanted, beginning their battle.

* * *

Deep black eyes, sunken in, contrasting with the ghastly white skin and hair. The Cave Beast trudged forward, swinging its clawed hands at Mizuchi Woman. She gasped and starting fleeing with Behemoth and Hanzo, the both of them trying not to get into any confrontations, no matter how much they wanted to. Hanzo had warned the two women on how these monstrosities could ruin their skin, and being the vain beasts they were, Mizuchi and Behemoth refused to risk it.

The architecture was slanted, making it easy to trip over. Such structures made no sense to the three of them, statues on every corner, stairs that twisted into nothing at the very top. The water below had a peculiar reflection, like it was more normal-looking than the reality, where things weren’t horribly skewered. “Why did we have to split up from Fudoushi?” Behemoth sighed, making sure she did not get her heels muddy. “He couldn’t have just had us follow him? What about that Dark Matter guy? He just went off on his own too!”

“Splitting up really isn’t the best option,” Hanzo mumbled in agreement, “but I’m sure Fudoushi had his reasons. He wanted to find the one who killed his old student.” Behemoth rolled her eyes at the mention of it, trying to cover her envy. She had tried her hardest to make Fudoushi forget about Fae, but even when he insisted on having no interest in his own student, it felt like he definitely had a strong bond with her. Meanwhile, Behemoth was a monster, and treated as a loyal partner, never anything more, even though she could see past Fudoushi’s hideous appearance.

He refused her. Multiple times, and Behemoth hated it. Fudoushi should have been jumping at the chance for someone like her, since they were both beasts in a way, but he never did. He acted like he wanted to kill Fae, but it was obvious that they had eyes on each other. She absolutely hated it. Behemoth had fallen in love with his lively self and still desired him in his decayed state.

Brother F getting rid of Fae made it only worse. She would do anything just to make Fudoushi notice her as more than the Behemoth she was. “Behemoth?” Mizuchi Woman called out to her. “Pay attention, will you? We don’t want you to trip, fall, then complain about a scraped knee.” She then looked over to the ninja, who hopped over to several statues. “What are you up to, idiot?”

Staring at the bizarre citadel that was deep within, Hanzo pointed to it. “Looks like the deepest part where rituals take place is down there. I doubt the girl would be inside, but it might be worth checking out.” Jumping off of the tall statue, Hanzo winced as he made his landing. Mizuchi Woman could quickly tell that he sprained his ankle like a fool, but didn’t do anything other than snicker at his misfortune. “Mizuchi, I will be going there. You and Behemoth should check another place in this underground city.”

“What!?” She exclaimed, aggressively swishing her tail. “You just said splitting up wasn’t the best option, now you’re doing it on your own? With your fragile self? Don’t even joke about it, because if anyone needs to be looked after, it’s you, Hanzo.”

“You say that, and it’s true, maybe,” Hanzo stammered, “but you said it yourself over an hour ago, you were getting sick of having me around. I’m just trying to do you a favor while discovering what could lie on the citadel, which I can do just fine on my own, I promise!” Neither Mizuchi Woman nor Behemoth were convinced, to say the least.

“Look, I personally don’t care, as long as that girl is found and we bring her to Fudoushi. It’s okay if I have to do it on my own. Do whatever you prefer, Mizuchi.” The air was so damp that the Behemoth began fanning herself, disliking the gross feeling that was in the air as she walked away. Mizuchi Woman looked at the Behemoth, then at Hanzo, who was heading for the citadel.

She picked Hanzo. Mizuchi refused to admit it, but she was closer to him than Behemoth, who was too busy focusing on her master. One wrong word, and Behemoth might not be as carefree and forgiving as she usually was. That was the reason Mizuchi told herself at least.

The reality was the fact that she was worried something could happen to Hanzo. Both he and Behemoth had been acting oddly. Particularly, Hanzo kept holding his right arm, like something was irritating him.

“So,” Mizuchi said, following the ninja closely. “What do you think is in there anyway? More ugly freaks that need to go back to their home planet? Some kind of torture chamber maybe? A less dignified water deity, unlike myself?” Taking out a bottle of sake, Mizuchi Woman had a feeling it was going to be a long time before they all regrouped, and it might be a good idea to kill time when they got into the citadel.

“An altar for sacrifices,” Hanzo stated. Mizuchi Woman gave him a strange look, followed by Hanzo clearing his throat. “Yes, I’m certain that will be there! It wouldn’t make sense for one to not be there, considering this place filled with cultists, and bizarre, godly creature. I am absolutely positive that is the case.” Mizuchi Woman could only assume that Hanzo was bluffing, per usual. Trying to put on a brave face, only to end up looking like a moron instead.

There was a long pause between the two. Hopefully, Behemoth would find Fae’s student soon, and then Dark Matter would stop reading the hieroglyphs scattered around the city. He split off to investigate on his own, even though he should have been accompanying Fudoushi. The two would have worked better as an undead sorcerer team more than anything else, not that anything could help it now.

“You think everyone would think this is more urgent,” Mizuchi grumbled.

* * *

He had seen these hieroglyphs before when trying to glimpse at the future. Disturbing letters and images, plastered all over the walls, having been there for thousands of years, buried under this mountain. Dark Matter felt sick just looking at it, even though he was nothing but a lingering spirit with bones, it managed to disturb a dead man like himself.

“Yet I was the one cast out as a maniac,” Dark Matter said to himself, “what a peculiar truth this is, one I wish that could have been seen years ago, but I’m sure it would haunt them.” He dragged his bony fingers across the walls, feeling each and every little indent that created the images. Chills went down his spine, as Dark Matter realized how uncanny they were, even in touch.

They were just so alien, yet these had been here longer than most people. It was just so puzzling to Dark Matter. “How can humanity invest themselves into this? Much more, how can they put their lives on the line for it?” They surely must have been insane, or grown men were just fools. They didn’t have the knowledge of not trusting strange things like children would have.

He heard small, quiet footsteps coming towards him. Dark Matter turned his head just a bit, and was shocked at who was there. A small girl, wearing a cloak, younger than anyone Dark Matter had seen thus far. He would have asked what she was doing her, but the child’s attire said it all. “So I was wrong,” Dark Matter murmured, “even the innocent youths are swayed by the absurd religions here? I suppose I was too hopeful.”

The child was armed with a dagger, much to Dark Matter’s amusement. “You are not a living sorcerer of the dark arts?” She questioned, realizing there was no way to kill him with a plain weapon. “Brother F tasked me with disposing of any peculiar intruders, since I’m one of the few left. All of the other members of the Deep Circle have ascended, is what Brother F says.” Dark Matter felt a dreadful presence around the child, as if she was accompanied, protected by unimaginable horrors. “He says that those kinds of people are those who did not place enough faith, or they were spared from the mission so people could be safe. I’m young, so I still have a job before going.”

Dark Matter stared down at her, not amused in the slightest. “Terrible. Children should be out playing with their friends, even the likes of someone such as myself knows that. Instead, you’re here, corrupted by a mad, religious group. What a shame that you were tasked to get rid of me,” forming dark magic at his fingertips, Dark Matter stared the girl down. “Because I am afraid it is you that will not walk away. You’re antagonizing someone who dared to dominate the world as its overlord.”

Why was he doing this? This was a child. It wasn’t like fighting Wish, or the other user of dark magic. He directed his hands at the girl, and the many monstrosities that surrounded her, but Dark Matter found himself hesitating to go any further.

What would Wish say? She would shun him no matter what, but it would be even worse. What would his past self do, when he was Ikuri? These were the kinds of things that made Dark Matter so hated, viewed as a mortal threat.

Who was he kidding? He was Ikuri, even now. Nothing had changed, he was still a weak little man, all that changed was the fact he was dead, but gained an increase of power during his rest.

“Child,” Dark Matter spoke, not moving an inch. “Where are your parents? Aren’t they worried about you? You can still turn back, you realize—”

“Vampires took away my mother, and Brother F got rid of them.” The girl cut him short, Cave Beasts and Night-gaunts drawing closer to Dark Matter. “My father only wanted to return the favor for Brother F’s help, which was join him in the cause of fixing the world. That’s our only focus right now.”

He had to at least try to not harm this child. Even if she was stubborn, the only real menaces were those beasts. “Ultimate Flare!” Dark Matter shouted, casting giant streams of fire at the Cave Beasts, which immediately became charred corpses. The Night-gaunts protected the girl with their wings, shielding her, even if it burned them in the process. Dark Matter prepared his next move, awaiting the demonic beasts to come at him.

Stretching out his extra two arms, created by the old bandages which dangled from his bones, Dark Matter created a green, magic circle. He was barely even trying with the fire spell, and now was going to make sure he went all out against the more defensive beasts. “Shooting Star!” He chanted, firing off several, glowing meteoroids, which crashed upon the Night-gaunts.

The meteoroids burned into their bodies, only a few of them remained up and moving. “Now then, listen here, my child.” Dark Matter stepped over the charred bodies, approaching the girl, who was visibly trembling at the sight of the mage. “You should not be afraid. I was once a person, and I am not completely unreasonable despite my threats. You should turn back to your father, and forget this chaotic destiny that this religious wants to create.”

Making sure the dagger was up, the girl didn’t budge, which only invited Dark Matter. “Put down your weapon, there’s nothing to be afraid of—”

Jumping out at the last second, a Night-gaunt lashed out at him. “You hurt Brother F’s friends,” the girl mumbled, “they didn’t do anything wrong. They wanted to keep me safe from strangers like you, who aren’t really alive anymore.”

Dark Matter grunted, struggling to deal with the wounded, protective Night-gaunt that was up in his face, scratching at him and using its tail as a bludgeon to Dark Matter’s back. The girl immediately began to run, knowing that it was most likely what the Night-gaunt wanted her to do.

Gaining the upper hand with his many arms, Dark Matter pulled the Night-gaunt’s tail off with the hands made of bandages, following by trying to snap one of its wings with his bare hands. The rest of the work soon followed, with Dark Matter using another spell against it.

He touched his own face once it was over. Some of the bandages around his head had been torn off, forcing Dark Matter to shift some of them around, hoping they would not come undone.

* * *

Collapsing onto the ground, his body split in two once again, Fudoushi could barely stand up, staring at the newly made wound in his chest, and the tentacles that were retracting from there. They made their way back to their owner; Brother F.

The parasitic form began wrapping themselves back around Brother F’s bony arms, slowly, making sure Fudoushi could actually feel pain as the sharp tentacles removed themselves. “Does it hurt now, unlike the knife which got stuck earlier?” Brother F questioned, as Fudoushi winced in response. “I shall take that as a ‘yes’ from you. You’re a fool, thinking you stood a chance when merely calling the name of the creator would put you in a state of shock.” Snapping the tentacles forth once more, Brother F tried to dig out whatever remained, noting the pained look of the undead sorcerer’s face.

How satisfying. Some twisted, sadistic part of him made Brother F so pleased to see a monster writhing in pain. One that killed others for his own amusement and greed, as opposed to anything understandable. “I kept my promise to Miss Fae in the end. I got rid of you, and I kept her student safe.” He didn’t even come close to Fudoushi, indicating that the cultist didn’t even want to be near him at all as he was talking. He made himself loud and clear, just so Fudoushi could hear him.

“All that’s left is one thing,” Brother F declared, “and that is the ultimate sacrifice, which brings forth the creator. Shall I say his name for you one last time, to send you into a comatose before death? Or will you sit there and suffer?” He questioned the thought, before turning his back on Fudoushi, retracting the tentacles one last time. “Yes, a monster like yourself deserves the latter. No sympathy from me.”

Fudoushi couldn’t speak. There wasn’t anything left to say as Brother F walked away from the scene. All he could hope for was that Behemoth and the others found Lala, possibly Dark Matter too, so they could stop this ultimate sacrifice from happening.

Otherwise… what would happen to this world? Which while dark and cruel, he had come to love? Fudoushi loved reality, even though he was a master of illusions, the truth fascinated him more than mere dreams and fiction.

The truth, he had come to accept it, as strange as it was. Fudoushi missed Fae, and was regretting the betrayal to her trust, when they could have been more. “I failed, I’m sorry,” he apologized to himself, “Fae, did I at least try to do the right thing, by helping the one you passed our talents on to?”

His face was wet again, and Fudoushi no realized why that was, the strange reality it happened to be.

“I hope what I did made you happy, even with my past sins. Because the truth is Fae…”

Fudoushi ended that sentence with silent words, only his lips moved before all actions ceased. Fluids dripping down his head, his magic had finally expired.

* * *

Behemoth could see the blonde girl in the distance. She mainly wore red, along with some white armor, hoping that this was the one her master asked to find. What stood out the most was that scarf, which Fudoushi said would be the biggest indication that’s who they were looking for.

Fae’s student, skipping around cautiously. Her movements were quick, allowing the green, bloodied scarf to flutter as she made her jumps. An intriguing student, but something about her made Behemoth irritated. Was it the fact that she was one of Fae’s? Most likely, but petty jealousy wasn’t going to do anything right now.

Scratching her head, Behemoth trotted over to Lala. “You there, Fae’s pupil, right?” Behemoth called out to her, catching Lala’s attention. “Master Fudoushi is the one who sent me. He wished for us to bring you to him, so we could all stop this cult. What is your name?”

Someone friendly was a nice change for Lala, even if they appeared to be a monster girl of some kind. “Lala,” she replied, “I’m Lala. Fudoushi though… was he the large, scary guy with rotting flesh?” Lala asked, surprising Behemoth, who nodded in response. “Because I did meet him earlier. Got me out of the cult leader’s hands. I would have assisted him, but he urged me to go on, and I wasn’t sure whether to trust whose side he was on.”

They had already encountered each other? This was just a big waste of time. “No matter then, call me Behemoth, darling. We shall make haste and return to him. I’m sure a pesky cultist doesn’t stand a chance against the likes of him. Where did you last see him?” Behemoth asked, fanning herself, full of utmost charisma.

“He won’t be around any longer.”

Behemoth stopped, hearing that voice come from Lala, one which didn’t fit her at all. “Even he didn’t stand a chance against the new incarnation of 'Umr At-Tawil. You did nothing to help him either, as he stood there thinking about me.”

Lowering the fan from her face, Behemoth was reluctant on unveiling what was before her. Lala’s blonde hair had turned green, her body became a bit taller, and the red dress was gone, replaced with nothing but bare skin, covered in wounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up putting PuyoConfessions on hiatus to balance this, and a collab project, and irl work. At least there's a new chapter of this though…
> 
> Here ends Fudoushi's little arc. Didn't realize Behemoth wasn't really doing anything until this point, so I finally brought her in.


	13. The Star-Spawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terror consumes Gold Town when Cthulhu arrives. Wish has learned of the whereabouts of her grandson and reminisces an older time.

Something about it excited him, even though he was so numb.

He held the broken shard from a vase in his hands, feeling the medicine slowly take over his body. Even when he touched the desk before him, the boy could feel nothing. In truth, he was afraid of what would happen next, for he did not know what it would be. But anything was better than the position he was in right now.

The boy rolled his sleeves up, then grabbed two hair ribbons, which he had stolen from a girl earlier. He needed something to help him see the veins better, a makeshift tourniquet if you will, on both arms.

Deep breaths. There wasn’t any reason to turn around and cower now, unless the boy wanted to have another depressing day in here. The silence reminded him of how much he hated every waking moment in this place. Many years of it, finally coming to an end, as the boy started pushing the shard down against his arm. Still, he felt nothing as the newly made cuts started bleeding out.

One was open, as the boy put the shard in his left hand, ignoring the bleeding as he cut his right arm next. His vision was blurry, and the room was dark, but he could see his veins. Sticking the shard under the tissue, he began ripping them out. No pain. Nothing from the amount of medicine he had taken. If this went wrong, then the side effects would definitely wear off after a few hours.

The other wrist had its veins torn out next, leaving stringy tubes dangling from the boy’s arms. He had memorized his incantations well, murmuring the words to himself, as the boy began placing his veins on the pages of the book.

His skin was becoming pale. His breath shortened. The boy was dying, the ferrymen would soon try to bring him onto the boat to the afterlife, much like in the stories that were told to him. However, the touch of death would have to wait, as something else was gripping the boy instead.

Life began forming on his veins, coming in disgusting shades of red and green. They began wrapping themselves around the boy’s arms, his skin being eaten away. He didn’t even feel it, not even as his organs and face were being modified in a twisted way.

“My child,” a voice whispered, “you accept this job after all? You shall sell your life to being the next incarnation 'Umr At-Tawil, until the creator says you are finished. You are so close to ascension, and will only reach it fully after completing our tasks. You shall learn and understand everything, so you will fear nothing, evident by you unable to fear death itself. No longer will you use your name, to be as mysterious and influential as I, Yog-Sothoth.

“You are blessed with a power now, my child. A youth such as yourself will retain this form, and be capable of calling upon those outside this world, so they can inhabit their old home once more. Come, my child, embrace this destiny, and allow all who inhabit this home to ascend.”

He opened his eyes.

Quickly as he could, the once human boy picked up the bloody shard once again and began drawing disturbed circles in his room.

This would serve as a temporary chamber, until he could move on.

* * *

“He loved me, his own student, not a gross cow of a monster.”

All that Behemoth could see was Fae, standing there and mocking her. “You already know why he rushed to find his student and avenge her, rather than help you. The same reason he never even touched you. Even with this prettied form of yours, desiring to be human, you are just a beast of the land. A fat, bloated monster that rose from the sand, called upon by the sorcerer trained in illusions. He probably only gave you the power to shift forms because he couldn’t stand looking at you.

“And yet, you think he’s worthy of your respect,” Fae chuckled, “you were nothing but a tool. A worthless right hand that was only good for power. You didn’t care, and sucked up to him, just to win the affection of the mortal that bested you back then. You tried your hardest to think he just wasn’t himself, but deep down, you already were aware that he preferred me.”

“Shut up,” Behemoth muttered, dropping the fan that was in her hand, expression turning more blank.

“You have tried, but even a monster such as him said ‘no’ to you,” Fae mocked. “How sad. What other reason was there, did you think? Now that he’s gone, what purpose do you have here?”

No. Behemoth wasn’t going to take this. Not from someone who should have been dead, and stayed dead. She averted her gaze, from Fae, slowly approaching her, not daring to even look at her.

“What’s wrong with you? I give you an answer and ask if you’re alright, and you tell me to shut up?” Lala scoffed, irritated with the Behemoth. “Are we going to find that Fudoushi guy, or what?” She began backing away upon noticing Behemoth getting closer. Something was definitely wrong with her in the head, though Lala couldn’t tell what that could be.

Wrong in the head…

Lala glanced at Behemoth’s hair as she came close, seeing a familiar creature. A mind parasite, just like the one that had latched onto Lala’s head. If she didn’t get it off of Behemoth, it would bury its way into her skull.

A fight was unavoidable, even though Lala would have preferred to work as a group. She may not have known who these characters were, but anything was better than whatever more abominations Brother F would bring forth. “Stand still Behemoth,” Lala said, “I’m gonna get that thing off of you before anything else!”

* * *

Choppun winced as heard the rooftop lightly crumble, Muhoho didn’t budge, knowing that whatever was out there could probably sense them. The older woman remained where she was, staring off into space. It had almost been an entire day, and they barely did anything. Some of them took turns sleeping, while others kept an eye open, but it was becoming too exhausting to do even that now.

“Your turn,” Skeleton-D groaned to Wizard, “I can’t stand being sober. There’s seriously nothing left? I could really use a drink right now.” Holding his head, the skeleton collapsed and passed out, somehow able to snore. Wizard didn’t question it, as he rubbed his eyes and began peeking over to where Lydia was. He just wanted to go home with his family. Wizard began having dreams in his few naps, and they were getting to him. Just one look at the circles getting under his eyes said it all.

“Young man,” the older woman spoke, getting Wizard’s attention. “Tell the ones across from us, that he is coming, a Great Old One, along with his many children, the Star-Spawn.” Wizard only appeared to be confused by this statement, but deep down, he was dreading whatever that meant.

Gulping, Choppun forced himself to ask. “Star-Spawn? Is that something to do with comet summoners, like the Wizard’s sister?” Right now, Wizard really hoped that wasn’t the case. If Witch ended up somehow being wrapped up in this mess, he wasn’t sure how he would be able to handle it. “Who are you talking about anyway?”

The old woman went silent, making sure that any creatures outside could not hear them. “The Sleeper of R’lyeh; Cthulhu. Capable of manipulating madness and reality. No man can look at him without screaming or collapsing, unless they were already gifted with certain abilities. We must find a way to begin our escape. Tell them so.”

He still didn’t understand, but Wizard did as he was told. Making gestures to the barbegazi that was in Lydia’s hut, the bearded monster nodded in response, going to the others so plotting could begin. “Alright, it looks like they’re trying to come up with something. But what are we going to do?” Wizard asked.

“None of us can fight back against Cthulhu,” the old woman answered, “our only solution would be to get away when we hear him from afar. We would be at risk with the many that lurk outside, but if we cooperate, we should make it out alive. I will use my own power if I must.” Slowly, she got to her feet, grabbing a staff which was leaning against a wall so it could be used as a walking stick.

“Miss,” Wizard spoke once more, “you said Cthulhu had children, Star-Spawn. Why are they called that?” He almost began to dread whatever the answer to this could be, being that his family consisted of such a long line of comet summoners.

“The Cthulhi are better known as Star-Spawn, much like their father,” the old woman replied, “when you see stars, they usually shoot through the sky, full of life. When they are unable to live, they fall to the nightmare city that is beneath the mountains, preserved for Cthulhu’s resurrection. They become his children, and are part of his power.”

During the whole lecture, Succubus was passed out on the floor next to Skeleton-D. She didn’t hear a word of what was going on, even though she should have gotten up by now. Muhoho tried to shake her before, but it didn’t do anything so he gave up, too exhausted to bother. Choppun and Wizard seemed to be the only active ones for now.

That was, until they heard it.

A low, bellowing noise came from afar. The old woman’s expression finally shifted to one of great discomfort, hitting those who were resting on the head. “Wake up!” She yelled, the impact making them open their eyes. “We have no time to rest any longer, he is coming, and he will get us! We must get out of here, and hopefully, those across from us shall do the same.” She immediately started waddling, Wizard and Choppun didn’t hesitate to accompany her, hoping that the other three would do the same.

Muhoho and Skeleton-D did just that, but halted once they saw a number of creatures in their path. The old woman raised her staff, calling out a peculiar incantation. “Infinite heaven!” She shouted, firing blasts of light at the approaching Cthulhi, dazing them. “All of you, go!” The old woman demanded, watching as the four of them ran past her.

Four of them? Weren’t there five? The old woman looked back, her blood going cold as she saw the Succubus, trying to help Lydia’s group that was trying to escape with a number of supplies. “What are you all doing!?” The old woman gasped, preparing a spell for the creatures that were pursuing them. “You’re going to get yourself killed with those distractions, do not worry about any needless objects!”

Cracking her whip at the creatures, Succubus ignored the old woman’s word. “All I’m doing is holding these things off while you all get away, the need to inflict some pain is growing in me after all.” She giggled, testing the old woman’s patience. “You’re too old to be getting into action such as this after all. Why not save your energy for the long run?”

She held back her magic, giving up so the old woman could guide Lydia’s group. “You must be very brave and noble to be concerned about me, demon,” the old woman muttered, “or you are egotistical and foolish, putting yourself in Cthulhu’s line of sight. Whatever happens to you, I shall feel guilty about, but I had warned you to begin with.” With that, the old woman took her leave, accompanied by Lydia, Yoyoyo, the barbegazi, and the bat girl.

Not a problem at all for Succubus. The Cthulhi didn’t stand a chance, nor did any of the Mi-gos. She could feel a great increase in her power all of the sudden, but Succubus couldn’t figure out why. Something inside of her was burning, yearning to be released, and she wanted to use it on whatever this Cthulhu being was. He would be no match for her. She was a demon that had taken the souls of many men and had made dozens of monsters squirm under her heels. It was no different with these outer beings, one Cthulhi even finding themselves greatly uncomfortable.

One became two, and soon, many more began to fear the Succubus. These provocative antics were unfamiliar to the Star-Spawn, while the Mi-gos paid no mind. It was something they were unfamiliar with, thus began to fear. “What’s wrong? Are you like some sort of child, scared of wonders of adulthood that are foreign to you? How pathetic for creatures meant to be so smart!” Cracking her whip against a Mi-go and leaving a gash in its body, Succubus heard the bellowing get closer.

He was coming, but Succubus didn’t care. It couldn’t be any worse than the nightmares she just had, where spikes began protruding from her body, making her scream from the intense pain. This is the pain she wanted to inflict on all who wished to destroy the world she had come to adore. No deity would take it away from the Succubus, unless they looked her in the eye and told her so.

The Cthulhi fled to the sound of their approaching father as Succubus finished off the remaining Mi-gos. She paid no mind to the impending doom, wanting to stare it in the face if she had to. The sound of stomping grew louder, the earth vibrating with each step. One last Mi-go managed to successfully grab the leg of the Succubus, getting a tight grip and knocking her to the ground. In retaliation, Succubus threw her cape at the Mi-go, confusing it as she snagged it with her whip, proceeding to crush the creature’s head with her heels.

She could hear the sounds of its brains being squeezed out, as if the Mi-go didn’t even have a skull. The feeling made Succubus shudder, both in a sadistic pleasure, plain disgust, and dread at whatever was watching her. She snatched her violet cape back up, custom made to match her new outfit and hairstyle. Succubus was glad she decided to go with a fancier look that didn’t show as much skin like normally, otherwise many weak spots would be exposed.

That was when Succubus finally looked up, seeing what had been staring down at her.

Gigantic, having the body of a muscular man, green skin like it was covered in algae. Head resembling an octopus, wings of a demon, eyes that felt as if they were burning through Succubus. She felt her vision become blurry, despite her initial desire to try and do what she pleased, Succubus found herself backing down, discouraged from doing anything more.

Sanity began slipping immediately. The large beast, Cthulhu, did not speak. All he did was reach for the Succubus, who had harmed the Mi-gos that worshipped him, as well as his very own Star-Spawn. He prepared to close his hand around the Succubus, who found herself paralyzed from the twisting reality.

Large fingers began poking her back and stomach, while a thumb began touching her head. Succubus feared the worst, her beautiful face ruined as her skull was crushed. She wanted to fight back, but her self-control was fading away.

“A demon who had spawned from a partner of Nodens,” Cthulhu spoke, “succubi, the mistake of Lilith, the demon who snatched children, and Nodens, the master of the Night-gaunts.” Levitating her body into the air, Cthulhu stared at the mortified Succubus. “Succubi and incubi, are nothing but a weaker, unseen variation. You cannot show your true face, and conceal it so you cannot revert to your intended form. All life shall go back to the higher manifestation, and it will begin, with you.”

Her eyes widened, unable to move as Cthulhu raised his palms near the floating girl. Succubus started crying out, her back and head going through an excruciating amount of pain all of the sudden. “Torment others in dreams, whipping for your own needs,” Cthulhu muttered in her mind, “leading others to nightmares as you stalk the dark. Not once did you question, like the petty demons you are, of where that originated from. Come forth, Night-gaunt, and shed your weaker skin, and accept Nodens as your lord.”

Curved horns began slowly poking out from the sides of her head. Juices and blood were smeared on the horns, dripping from the sides of her head. Spikes began protruding from her back next, tearing the skin away to make its way out, revealing a pair of leathery wings, which were stained with red. Cthulhu parted his hands, forcing the wings to spread open.

Now he had to change her skin next, so the transformation would be complete—

He couldn’t even finish his thoughts. Cthulhu allowed himself to get distracted for a second, which was enough time to allow someone else to take the Succubus out of his hands.

“Hold on tight,” Devil said, carrying Succubus by her arms. “We’re getting out of here, I’ll deal with that menace once you’re safe!” He couldn’t believe what he was doing. A devil, playing the hero of all things, summoning whatever strength he could against these intruders, even if the point was moot. He had to try, because no one else was taking proper action.

This was his world, he wasn’t going to let Cthulhu and other entities take it away. He said it to himself multiple times, especially when Kaiju fell victim and called him a liar. He would prove everyone wrong. Of what though, Devil had entirely forgotten.

* * *

The two had been searching for a while from the sky. Clayton’s eyes weren’t what they used to be, so it was up to Wish and Tenori Zoh to spot anything that they recognized. Pods were scattered around the land, hatching into various kinds of creatures and creating a dense fog, which made searching for Wizard even more difficult.

“Perhaps we should land soon,” Clayton suggested, “we won’t be able to find him with all this fog. Descending to the ground will at least get rid of these flying creatures for a while.”

“That may be so,” Wish answered, “but before it became impossible to see, Tenori and I could see specks of many monsters, and those pods which produced this smoke. I have no doubt that those pods will spread even more monstrosities, which will corner us on the land.” Clayton nodded, understand what his wife meant, but found his focus broken by the sound of squawking.

This was one they hadn’t seen before. Having the hooked beak of an avian, which was filled with the teeth that belong on a goose, its tongue was spiny, and barely any different. They were covered with scales rather than feathers, having only one eye in the center of their heads, and a single leg. Beating their wings violently, the creatures flung themselves at Wish.

One little shove wasn’t enough, but as many more of the avian beasts came, they all began swinging their talons, attempting to grab Tenori Zoh from Wish. The small elephant squealed in fear, jumping over to Clayton to hit inside of his robe. Wish found herself losing control of her flight, and it was too overwhelming to attack. The earlier, more graceful beasts in flight from earlier, at least gave her the chance to react.

They had to get out of the sky. Wish should have listened to Clayton the first time. Trying to speed off away from the bird creatures, Wish figured that her best chances was—

Suddenly a louder squawk of pain was heard. Wish looked back, seeing a beam of light coming upward, scorching some of the creatures that were farther away from Wish. “That light,” she murmured, “down there, I know who can help us!” Immediately, Wish tried to make a landing. Clayton came to a sudden realization of who had helped them as well, and was slightly relieved that this person was okay.

The old woman stood there, holding a large staff that had a blue sphere at the top of it. “Rhizo!” Wish called out to her, landing a reasonable distance away from her. “I don’t believe it, you’re caught up in this too!?”

“I saw it many years ago when I was in your group,” the old woman, Rhizo, said with a sigh. Wish tensed up when Rhizo said that, but tried to hold back her questions. Wizard was more important right now, since there was only so much time to find him before something terrible happened.

“Rhizo, I apologize if I sound pushy, but have you seen my grandson? Or my granddaughter? Wizard and Witch, respectively. Please, I don’t want to lose another family member in my life!”

“The blonde-haired boy is yours?” Rhizo questioned.

“Is he here!?”

“He was with me, but I made him and some others take refuge near Wolf Village. I was distracting the creatures which pursued him until they fled all the way back to Gold Town.” Rhizo then looked at the ruined town, a distant, giant figure being obscured by the fog. She didn’t say a word of what was lying there, and turned her attention back to Wish. “As for your granddaughter, I have not seen anyone like her. Come, I shall take you to the village.”

So many weights were lifted off of Wish’s shoulders, but not all were removed, especially when Rhizo had mentioned their youth. Wish glanced at Clayton, who was busy comforting Tenori Zoh, before finally speaking up again. “Rhizo, tell me,” she muttered, “are you saying that Ikuri… was right?”

Rhizo remained quiet as she was walking. She knew that this matter was going to be difficult to answer. Ikuri wasn’t right by any means. His motives were understandable, but inexcusable. There was no reason to act the way he did. It was one thing to prepare for the future, but to try and prevent it from happening was idiotic, often the reason many things go so horribly wrong when it came to prophetic dreams.

“His vision was true, but his views were false,” Rhizo answered.

* * *

Tears streamed down Wish’s face, her bright hair reflecting the flames as she tried to get away. She told Clayton to stay behind on this one, since she felt this was her responsibility.

Earlier that week, Ikuri had tried to convince Wish that religious groups were up to something bad according to a vision that he saw. It wasn’t that Wish didn’t believe him, but she did not want to make any scenes, especially since she was now on better terms with the villagers. Days later, Ikuri had gotten into an argument with Clayton for no real reason. Clayton thought it was entirely one-sided since he had no idea what Ikuri was talking about. Before long, he even questioned Rhizo’s worship gown, a conversation which Wish overheard.

Ikuri was never like this. He was always so quiet and shy, now all of the sudden he had been acting so strangely, asking Wish if she saw anything weird, and keeping a closer eye on the village. It wasn’t long until someone finally complained about Ikuri spying on a sanctuary, as if taking some kind of mental note. Wish was going to ask him about what wrong, but he didn’t come to the group for the next couple of days.

Then that night, the sanctuary had been set on fire while a ritual had been going on. Several people could not escape, as dark magic had sealed them inside, leaving them to burn. Rhizo had woken Wish to inform her of it, so they could try to help, but it was far too late. By the time Wish and Rhizo had broken the windows, the sanctuary was filled with nothing but charred bodies.

Rhizo blamed herself for not doing something sooner, as this dream came to her far too late. Wish cried as she moved on, asking Rhizo to help put it out if she could. Her best friend, the one person she once trusted the most, had gone off and killed several people in one of the cruelest ways possible, burning them alive.

Wish made her way to the cliff, the one where she and Ikuri had spent their time stargazing. The tears wouldn’t stop, but she could clearly see her friend garbed in violent. He turned around to see her, and hesitated like he had done many times in his life. “Wish,” he mumbled, “I know what you are thinking, please, try to understand that—”

“That what!?” Wish shouted, her voice scratchy from sobbing so much. “You’re not being yourself, Ikuri, what happened? We agreed to improve the image of those who did not use basic sorcery, not tarnish it and destroy those who had been biased against us!” She dropped her broom, not sure if she could handle the situation. “Why? Why did you do it? Just what was going through your head that you couldn’t tell me!?”

Offended, Ikuri came forward. “I told you, Wish— no, I warned you! Don’t you see? Those religious groups, they were all bad. I must go around until I find the rituals that doom this world. Why, I’ll do just about anything to protect it, even if it means destroying all religion.” He then held out his hand, giving an apologetic look. “Wish, all I ask is that you listen to my plea, and join me. I truly am sorry, it’s just that this has to be done! We cannot have humanity suffer, so please, take my—”

  
He was met with a slap to the face.

“No,” Wish cried, “never. I would never hurt anyone, unless the world really depended on it at a dire moment. I am not a sinner’s witch!”

Ikuri stared at her, heartbroken by the rejection, but also angry. She turned him down, favoring the ones who would lead the world into destruction, and repeating the words that Clayton had said, like she blatantly preferred him over Ikuri.

“So,” Ikuri spoke, “you’re trying to stop me then?” His eyes turned red, as he began floating in the air. “Wish, you know that I never wanted to fight you, but it sounds like you’re going to get in my way before I can continue this mission.” Raising a hand out as he began flying past the cliffside, Ikuri beckoned her.

“Ikuri, no, come back. I didn’t mean to hit you.” Wish sobbed, “I know you’re still in there. Don’t make this even worse, I don’t want to fight my best friend!”

Shaking his head, Ikuri’s expression became entirely blank. That slap to the face was enough to make him lose what he thought he lived for. That, and being referred to just as “best friend”, even though his feelings were much stronger and unnoticed. “I have studied an amount of dark magic, Wish. No longer will I just be Ikuri,” he declared, “I will be the entity that takes this world, and destroys all corrupted cults; Dark Matter, the dark mage who can see into the future!” With a shout, magic circles began forming around him, preparing for a battle.

Wiping away her tears, Wish began floating too, without the need of her broom. “You’re right,” she replied, “you’re no longer Ikuri… you monster!” She finally snapped, preparing her first attack against her former friend. “Black Hole!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first, I was having a bit of a block writing this chapter, but then I figured out what exactly to do with the ones who were hiding in Gold Town.
> 
> In Lovecraft works, Night-gaunts are comparable to succubi and incubi with the way they act.
> 
> I went with my own little views, like perhaps Nodens was familiar with Lilith, and spawned Night-gaunts together, which is why they are so similar to succubi and incubi. Why the Night-gaunts are helping Cthulhu and Brother F though, is because of something that will be answered in the next chapter.


	14. The Lurker at the Threshold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yog-Sothoth, better known as Yogusa, unlocked from his realm, comes forth. Can Wish reunite with her grandson before it gets worse?

They stood around each other, looking down at the boy who had just taken his life.

“You trust the loyalty of a mere human,” a shifting figure said, constantly changing his forms before those that stood in front of him. “What foolishness is this, Yog-Sothoth? It would be one thing for us to manipulate and twist the mind of a man, but instead, you have given a powerful object to a mere child.” Finally settling on the appearance of a human, just to taunt the fellow Outer Gods, he sneered. “Just what is it that you are thinking? If you are thinking at all.”

A giant entity, almost the size of a tower that had multiple eyes on his body, staring down at the one who wore a mask of human skin. “The world of humanity is one that drags all. It is my duty to assist mortal men, when deeds must be done, Nyarlathotep. You too have used mortals for your pawns, have you not?” Yog-Sothoth questioned.

Hissing with laughter, the shapeshifter peeled off his human face, revealing a void. He stared at the mask, which felt like it was full of blood and tissue. “That I do, but I do not go out of my way to intentionally help them. Nor would I give them such an artifact. Do you not recall what had occurred the last time the Silver Key was used? Amusing, but that poor Yaddithian can never see freedom.”

“That is why,” Yog-Sothoth continued, “humanity will be wiped to a different existence, and the selfish monsters shall be removed. I still need humans, but I want them in a world separate from our descendants. We cannot live together, for this world was ours, and humanity cannot handle the reality that is our existence. Cthulhu, Dagon, Hastur, Tsathoggua do you know how long they have been asleep? How long have they waited for release? Great creator, who blindly makes without thought, do you not agree that the best interest is to save that world?”

Nothing but a wall of flesh surrounded the two Outer Gods. Twisting and turning, gurgling at things blindly, he may have been snoring for all they knew. “He is oblivious to all around him as he slumbers, he does not care for the obscene worship like we do. The best for the lord is to just destroy that world. Nothing would be lost, and nothing would be gained. He cares for no mortal pawn, when his three children can do anything that is wished.” Nyarlathotep sat down, forming a chair behind him and crossing his legs, anticipating Yog’s anger.

“I refuse to leave my descendants there to be destroyed,” Yog-Sothoth said.

“So a boy who hates the world will help?” Nyarlathotep retorted, a devilish smirk on the closest thing he had to a face. 

The wall of flesh began gurgling once again, coiling itself endlessly into a closed eye, mouth on the bottom. Even when the eye was not open, one could tell that it was looking down at the bickering Outer Gods. Nyarlathotep shuddered at sleeptalker's words, hearing him say such things for the first time, but Yog-Sothoth made a pleased noise.

All Nyarlathotep could think was how much of a true, blind idiot his father was right now. The creator, who barely made contact with humanity, was actually favoring the idea that Yog-Sothoth had. What purpose was there to this? To keep a minority of useful humans around? To not kill that worthless Yaddithian, who was connected to a man? That wizard didn’t deserve anyone’s pity, not even to have someone as stupid as Yog-Sothoth listen, for he was just as low as humans were.

How laughable. Trying to block off Nyarlathotep’s own goals, that must be what they were doing. He dared not give support in this cause, as Nyarlathotep would gladly watch all of this fall apart instead.

* * *

No matter how much his dark powers aided him, it wasn’t any use. He covered the left side of his face, blinded by the spells that Wish had used against him. Ikuri’s throat became sore from how much he was screaming. He had been shouting out his spells, cursing at Wish, crying from the pain that was going through his eye.

It hurt too much to do anything, but Ikuri couldn’t turn away and give up. All he wanted was to make Wish experience the same amount of pain he was in. He tried to use the dark magic to regenerate himself, but it wasn’t potent enough for that kind of injury. There was no blood, but he could feel his eyeball burned, same with the skin around it. Deep down, Ikuri wanted to plead for Wish to stop and undo it, but neither of them would let up until one surrendered, and Ikuri had to keep the future safe.

All Wish knew was that Ikuri was gone. Even if a part of him could crawl out, the darkness corrupting him holding it back. “Lunar Eclipse!” Ikuri cried out, creating the exact image of a full moon in his magic circle. It rose far above him, a black circle eclipsing it.

“Don’een!” Wish retorted, making a barrier materialize, mere seconds before the aftermath of Ikuri’s spell could come crashing down. While the shield protecting Wish immediately shattered from the attack, Ikuri fell to the ground, staring at the witch that stood tall, as if she was proud of what she was doing to him. He could still feel the meteors that made an impact on his face, the burning sensation wouldn’t leave, especially the one that was in his heart.

Wish began chanting, collecting as much power as she could for her next move. Ikuri didn’t budge. He just stared up at her, one eye injured and the other full of tears, which made it hard to see Wish’s figure. Everything was hurting Ikuri, and it made him want to shout at her. “Why won’t you listen to me, Wish? Weren’t we close? I trusted you, more than anyone else in this world, which will surely destroy itself!” 

He was ignored, Wish knew that backing down now would lead to her demise, as well as everyone else’s. Mercy was useless, Ikuri would use that chance to strike her down if she gave it to him. Ikuri continued to ask her why, but Wish’s only focus was her finishing spell.

“Wish, why? Please, tell me why? You were more than a friend,” staggering to get up, the next words managed to shake Wish. “I love you.”

She nearly halted.

Ikuri had to be trying to get her guard lowered, or he actually was crying out from the bottom of his heart now, she couldn’t tell which one it was before her. “I loved you more than anyone I had known, but I kept it silent. Why? I should have told you, but I thought mere signs were enough. We were star-crossed, Wish, meant to be. I saw it in a fortune, but fate decided to be cruel, and make us enemies instead!?” He ranted, attempting to move towards Wish. “I never meant you harm. I would throw away everything for you, I would plunge the world, just so we could be together. I’d end my life to keep you safe, that’s how much I cared for you! But instead, he had to get in the way, didn’t he? Why did it have to be that mud magician to ruin everything I looked forward to?”

Wish’s expression changed to one that was unhappy, insulted that what used to be Ikuri would say such a thing about the man she loved. It was like he had been corrupted by jealousy, but had taken many steps further. “I tried to let go, so long as you were happy, I really did, but it hurt me even more! I can’t take it, Wish. I could have won you, but I was a coward, now that I go and try to help, I’m scorned like I’m a villain?” He didn’t get an answer to any of those questions. Instead, a staff pointed at Ikuri’s body.

“Big Bang!”

Sparks of light began forming at the tip of the staff, a large explosion was directed at Ikuri’s body, and there was nothing he could do about it. Why couldn’t things go back to the way they were? Why couldn’t Wish accept his love? Were they star-crossed not as lovers, but as those meant to fight? So many questions, which Ikuri couldn’t ask, as he felt his body being dissolved painfully. He cried out in pain, falling to the ground, trying to cover himself, but it was no use.

“Wish,” he tried to speak, feeling his voice become scratchy from the shouting. “Are you happy with this? You monster, you are a witch, killing someone who only wanted to save this world. Are you proud of that?”

There was no answer.

Ikuri couldn’t see. The spell had completely blinded him, he knew he was dying, but didn’t realize he was dying alone. He couldn’t tell if Wish was there or not, and kept calling out to her. “Wish, look at me. I can’t feel my skin. Was that your doing? Did you dissolve it to nothing? This is a cruel way to go, why not just finish me off?” He spat, the pain throbbing through his whole body.

Silence. He was being left to die. Not even a mercy kill, as he was meant to feel this agony. Ikuri killed people. A lot of people, burned alive, and now he was feeling their pain. He deserved this, and he knew it, yet he couldn’t help but turn it on the one who used to be his best friend.

How twisted was his mind to blame Wish for what was going on? Was he truly that corrupted, beyond redemption?

“I still love you,” he wept quietly. “No matter how much you hurt me, intended or not, I can’t pull my feelings away. Half of me wants to cherish our bond, while the other part of me wants to haunt you until the day you die.”

There was still no answer. Ikuri lost his voice. He could not say anything more, as the darkness began taking what remained of his life away, storing it for whatever would lay in the future. Ikuri could feel his soul crying, blaming himself for becoming such a madman, driving Wish away from him. To do something that would make his best friend hate him, made him feel so unclean.

But the darkness was telling him otherwise. As years went on, Ikuri’s spirit stopped faulting himself for the events, and began taking it out on Wish once more. Then Clayton, then religious groups, then everyone else…

Then the world. The whole world was out to get him, Dark Matter, for doing something that would do nothing but benefit it in the end.

In fifty years, he would resurrect. Dark Matter would have his revenge on Wish, on the world, and would not be stopped. Not when the black magic could regenerate him within a period of time.

He had been mummified and didn’t even realize it. He had been buried and didn’t realize it. His grave was marked, but often tarnished, and he didn’t even know it. The cold sleep known as death kept him unaware, blissfully so.

It was a shame that things couldn’t stay that way.

* * *

Yes, Wish remembered it all. How couldn’t she? It was one of the two burdens that had weighed her done throughout her life. She had blamed herself so many times for what happened, but Clayton assured her that it wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was all just the tragedy of a friend completely snapping. He had no idea about Ikuri having feelings for Wish, and chances are, he would never know even now, since it was the only bit that Wish kept hidden.

She told her husband everything, except for that. Wish didn’t want Clayton to think it was his fault for what had happened. If Clayton started regretting the choice he made to make Wish his own, and have a wonderful family with her, it would just make Wish feel worse about the whole thing.

Rhizo stared ahead at the Wolf Village. What she had hoped would be a safe place to take refuge, was now in complete chaos. Thousands of pods had been planted all over the place, smoke covered the skies, floating eyeball monsters were terrorizing civilians, most which could not even get away. She didn’t expect the place to be completely at peace, but this was far less than ideal. If Wish’s grandson was here, Rhizo prayed that he managed to find a decent hiding place. “There is no time to waste,” Rhizo said, “if this many spawns from Yog have spread, there’s no telling what could happen to your grandson.”

“Youg?” Clayton questioned, curious as what those pods were. “Who or what would that be, if I may ask?”

Shaking her head, Rhizo corrected him. “Yog, as in Yog-Sothoth. The one who lurks beyond the threshold. Once upon a time, I stumbled too far into my dreams and came across a gate. Just a little further from it was a cloaked man. The gate between us, I asked who he was, and he answered 'Umr At-Tawil, an avatar of Yog-Sothoth. Oddly kind, strangely genuine, for someone who would be involved with this otherworldly chaos. He told me of the future that would come. His disciple, a mere mortal man, would bring forth Outer Gods and Great Old Ones. Nothing could be done to stop it, and I feared for when that day would come.”

All Wish and Clayton could do was stare. They knew there was no time to dawdle, but hearing this made them wonder how long had Rhizo kept this dream hidden from them. Not only that, but Ikuri had known about this maddening future. She could have told them at any time back when they were a group, but didn’t. Rhizo most likely didn’t want them doing anything foolish, otherwise, their views and trust in others would have been warped, no different than Ikuri.

“Rhizo,” Clayton spoke, “did Yogusa—”

“Yog-Sothoth,” Rhizo corrected.

“Pardon me, Yog-Sothoth, did he mention why this was all necessary?” Clayton inquired. “It feels like needless chaos, but it feels as if these beings are far too intelligent to desire simple destruction. What purpose is there to any of this?” Part of Clayton dreaded what the real answer was, afraid that this would mean there was no hope of saving his grandchild.

Her body began to turn cold. Rhizo could feel eyes, many of them, just watching her closely. She could hear someone speaking to her, a voice that she hadn’t heard in years. “Tell them, Rhizo,” the voice spoke, “tell them that the world was ours. Tell them how we listen. Our presence, everywhere. Let them know just how close I am, physically and mentally.”

She stopped moving. There was no need to walk any further. Rhizo glanced at Wish and Clayton, who were still waiting for an answer. “Get out of here,” Rhizo muttered, surprising them. “Do not ask anything, just run!” 

He had been locked out of the universe, but his presence was near. His only method of entry is through the many eyes that watch and corrupted things close by, so he said a long time ago. Was it even possible for Yog-Sothoth to come face her? It had to be, due to the nightmares of how such an entity could be summoned and used to impregnate women. One with the right materials could surely bring him out.

Wish and Clayton left, following Rhizo’s demands. So many eyes, watching Rhizo in an unsettling manner. They blinked so slowly, making movements as if they were breathing, the tower coming down to Rhizo’s level. “He who carries the Necronomicon and shouts my name can bring me to this world. Not only did my disciple make an entrance to the lost city, but he was smart enough to call upon my aid.” Tendrils began creeping around Rhizo’s shoulders. Slimy, cold, feeling almost like fingers that had suddenly been formed.

“Try as you may, Rhizo,” Yog-Sothoth muttered, “but you do not stand a chance. You can distract me, but it will cost your life. You would do something such as that, just so I do not purge other lives?”

“Yes, I would.”

The lack of hesitation was impressive to Yog-Sothoth. Rhizo was admirable, to converse with him so easily. “You have nothing left to lose, is that it? With your granddaughter and her pet escaping, your husband passing on years ago. I will give you this, for a mere human, you are an intelligent being. Fifty years had passed, and you had done everything you wanted before this moment, while others would still be running around that life was ending so soon.” Rhizo didn’t talk back, just waiting for the chance to begin holding him off.

He didn’t attack though, not just yet. “It is too much of a waste to see you throw this away,” Yog-Sothoth spoke, “join me, Rhizo. I am not a creature that wants to smite humanity entirely, just move it to a different existence. I still have my uses for them, and you know that more than any mortal mammal. Abandon the holy rituals practiced by your tribe, and see all secrets that the universe holds.”

 

There was no answer.

Rhizo didn’t even acknowledge it. She continued to hold her staff up high, anticipating Yog-Sothoth to move. He didn’t even need a verbal answer, as Rhizo’s mind said it all. “I see, that is disappointing,” Yog-Sothoth replied, audibly sighing. “I cannot fault you for that choice. I will make your ascension as quick as possible.” Expanding his body, all of Yog-Sothoth’s eyes began to pop open, as did many glowing bulbs that had grown on his being.

He could see from all sides, there was no blind spot that one would normally take advantage of. Rhizo knew that, but she was still going to try to inflict harm on the god regardless, even though it would kill her.

* * *

“Wizard?”

He groaned, twisting around in his uncomfortable slumber. The lack of sleep was making him start to hear things. The Wolf Village was safer than Gold Town, but only by so much. Wizard didn’t dare trust his imagination.

“Wizard? Where are you? It's your grandmother!”

He wanted to go home, he really did, but Wizard had no idea what could have happened to his grandparents. The most he could do was dream about it, and have their voices of concern ring in his head. He couldn’t follow it though, not unless he wished to be lured into a trap. He had met a siren before, and was smart enough to fall for its voice, Wizard would do the same here.

“This boulder looks like it can be moved. Maybe he’s in this cavern.”

“What if it’s just keeping monsters out, Clayton?”

“We don’t know unless we take a look. Allow me.”

Stirring again, Wizard felt his body shaken by a bony hand. “Hey, wake up,” Skeleton-D grumbled, “Barbegazi, someone’s trying to remove the boulder. They’re gonna let monsters in unless you club ‘em.”

The short, bearded, dwarf-like creature approached the makeshift door, carrying a club in his hands. He tensed up and didn’t say a word, watching as a pair of muddy hands began to remove the boulder from the cave’s entrance. Wizard knew what those hands were, but still did not trust his vision or his hearing, knowing too well that the creatures out there were really capable of messing with others. One of them had pulled a resident of Wolf Village into a trap, Muhoho nearly fell for one too, until Lydia snapped him out of it.

Wizard wasn’t going to make that same mistake. Not when he had so much to live for, nothing would make him throw away his cautions, except for reality. Once the Barbegazi swung his club at the doll made of mud, it immediately splattered into a puddle, returning to its summoner, the Mud Master himself. Barbegazi was inclined to strike him next, until he was blinded by a strong light.

Carrying a starlight in the palm of her hands, Wish gasped at the sight of her grandson. His outfit had been tattered, his face and hands were scratched, the boy looked as if he hadn’t gotten any rest. “Wizard!” Wish cried.

Before they could reunite, however, the group heard the sound of breathing. Something was staring at them, but they couldn’t tell what it could be. Wish and Clayton turned around, and gasped, seeing the corpse of an old woman dangling from the creature’s tentacles.

Yog-Sothoth dropped the body of Rhizo, like she was nothing but a piece of garbage. “She has ascended to a different level of existence,” Yog-Sothoth declared, “and soon, you will all be joining her, unless you wish to succumb to madness instead. It is inevitable, so it is best to surrender your souls all at once.”

Everyone froze, some tempted to do as Yog-Sothoth wished. Not because they knew it was helpless, but because of the gentle way he spoke, making it so easy to be convinced that there wasn’t much hope. Choppun was practically wailing in fear during all of this, cowering in a corner. Skeleton-D immediately opened a bottle of sake, thinking it would be his last drink. Quietly, he offered it to Muhoho and the Barbegazi. Both of them refused, allowing Skeleton-D to down it.

Clayton however, was not about to give his family away to any Outer Gods. He looked at Wish longingly, a sad smile forming on his face. “Wish,” he murmured, “do not be sad for what I’m about to do. I know it’s been hard, but I know you won’t be alone if I go.”

“What?” Wish stammered.

“I know you hate loss,” Clayton said, “between your best friend and our only child, you never wanted to lose anyone again—”

“Clayton, please,” Wish’s vision became blurry from tears, even though she was trying her best to not cry at a time such as this. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it. What will happen if it’s just Wizard and I? What if we never find Witch? Clayton, I can’t stand the thought of losing you, not at a time like this!”

Yog-Sothoth waited patiently, amused by the overly emotional magicians. “For the years we’ve known each other Wish, I loved you more than I loved myself. I never viewed myself so highly, especially when I realized that my actions might have broken the heart of your friend.” Wish’s eyes widened, knowing exactly who Clayton was talking about. “I had a feeling Ikuri might have loved you, maybe more than I did. So when you two fought, and he perished, I made sure to cherish you in the way he probably wanted to. I wanted to protect you from anything, and make you the happiest woman, even through the most difficult times. That is why I must do this. To keep you happy, and alive.”

With that, he pushed Wish into the cavern, startling her. A wall of mud was created, sealing the cave back up. Wish cried out, pounding against the wall which immediately dried up, but there was no use. Clayton wasn’t going to turn back on what he had just done.

He looked up at Yog-Sothoth, then at Rhizo’s corpse. “I’m sorry, but I cannot let you touch my family. Please understand, that even if I don’t stand a chance, I would like to at least give them more time.” The many eyes just rolled around, puzzled at Clayton’s actions. It wasn’t like Rhizo, who had done everything she already wanted, it was like this fool just wanted to be a hero.

“There’s no point,” Yog-Sothoth responded, “in the end, all of you will ascend to the next existence. It would make her suffer less to just have all of you go at the same time. Are you certain this is what you want? It will be almost too easy, for I am invulnerable to all power. You have no chances of eliminating me. What is your reason for the action that was taken?”

“Because,” Clayton spoke, “I have a feeling that this is something that Ikuri would have wanted.”

Deep down, the truth was, Clayton wanted Dark Matter to come back. Somehow, in some way, and save this.

* * *

She finally got up after what felt like an hour. That girl, Lala, was nowhere in the Behemoth’s sight. It seemed that the girl had left without her. Behemoth glanced at the floor, taking note of the creature that appeared to have dissolved, covered in strands of Behemoth’s own hair. A quick feel of her own scalp made the Behemoth realize that the parasite had latched onto her head, and was probably trying to burrow into her brain.

Stomping on the remains with her heels, making sure that nothing else on her was damaged in the process. It appeared that Lala had done everything clean, even though she had the chance to leave wound the Behemoth so she wouldn’t get up— murder wasn’t possible— but Lala didn’t do that. Allies were limited right now, so it was best to make a lot of them, even if they clashed like oil and water.

That was when Behemoth saw it, or rather them, at the corner of her eye. A small child in a cloak. Was she lost? No, obviously by her attire, she was one of those cultists. Rather odd to have someone so young be a part of all of this. “Now, what’s a child like you doing here? Running around with worshippers is dangerous, you know.”

Ignoring Behemoth, the girl continued moving on. “What’s this now? Are you ignoring me? Listen here, cultist, I’m not above fighting children. If it’s to stop this madness, I will take you on.” Picking up her fan off of the ground, Behemoth prepared herself, but the girl simply kept moving, faster this time. There was no way she was just by herself. There most definitely had to be a group of creatures close by. Not unless somebody else took care of them.

She was running, Behemoth could tell now. The girl was afraid of confronting anyone else, which was something she could take advantage of. “Hold it there, kid!” Behemoth called out, chasing after her. She hoped that the girl wouldn’t alert whatever beings lurked nearby. Behemoth was on her own mostly, so there wasn’t much that she could do against a crowd of them.

“Go away,” the girl pleaded, “Brother F needs me to help with the sacrificing. The last one, who brings the creator!” Behemoth instantly grabbed her by the cloak, able to catch up to the girl’s speed. The cultist child kicked around, struggling to get free from the Behemoth’s grasp.

“What is this about a creator?” Behemoth asked.

“No,” the girl muttered, “the mere mention of his name is hideous for life that cannot understand, but beautiful for those that can. Your mind would immediately snap. I can only speak it, because dear Brother F explained this wretched world to me. This realm of monsters and suffering, is not the reality we all wanted.”

Shaking her head, Behemoth chuckled. “Someone should put you in a mental house, what is so bad about this creator? You can spell it out, can’t you?”

 

.

.

“Can’t you?”

 

 

..  
.  
“A̵r̶e̷ ̶y̶o̴u̴ ̸s̴u̶r̷e̴?̷”

 

.  
.

 

.  
.  
Ả̡̳̲̩̙͉͕͛̿͐̏́̓̀͝  
.  
.

.  
.  
T̸̢͉̺̙̹͇̗̙͈̹̓̒̆̂͂̓̚͠  
.  
.

 

H̷̨̢̧̢̨̧̨̨̡̧̛̛̰̝̮̫͔͖̟̰̯̖̗̮̱̹̗̭͔͍̼̘̳̥͓͇̙̹̙̦̖̰̩̝̭̟̩̟̺̹̼̫̞̲̭̱̟̮͎͎̙̬͇͎̬̗̙̞͈͚̘̼͈̰̟̥̘̮͇̞͕͙̞̬͎̩̩̣̘̟̠͍̮̣̬͓͔̱̣̩̾͐́̈́͐̎̃̿̋̍̿̊̈́͑̓̏́̃͂̈́̆̽́̈́͌̉̓͋̈́̽͑̊̈́̐͗̈́͛͋̌̐̉͋͋͆͒̊͂͆̔̌͗̓̄̒̑͑͑̆̿̎̉̈́̀̓̿͆̌́̀̊̏́̏̇̃̐̾̏̉͑̆̕͘̕͘̕̚̚̚͘͜͠͠͝͠͝ͅ

̴̨̢̧̡̡̧̛̛̬̬̯͉͇̻͔̤̝̰̠̝̘͍̻̩̼̦̙̘̫̤̰̗͕̼̥̞͉̳͔̝͍̗̙̤̯͚̭̘͈̻͉͈͕̜̰̼̭̭̦̩̞̠̘̙̤̟͎̫̹̲͚̗͖̭̼̻̗̤̳͇̥̗̫̦̤̯̼̜̟͎̜͙͔̜͇̟͔̔̽̽̽̋̿͛̆͗̿̇́̂̋̿̈̏͂̀̏̔̃̃́̀͆̾̐̉̆̅̅̑̈́͋̓̐͂̐̔̿́͐̐̈́̋̅͒̈́̔̎̋͛̌̃̈̔͒̈̓̑̓̒̓̓̑̓̔̓̍̀̿̅̿́̚̕̕̕̕͘͘͘̚̕̚͜͝͠͝͝͝͝͝ͅͅͅͅƠ̶̧̧̧̧̧̡̢̛̛̯̝͔̗̪͈͔̗͈̖̫̫͕͉̠͍̥̰̯͇̦̝̜̬̰̭̘͖̹̬͎̞̺̥̰͔̤͇͙̬̭̖̠̦̣̠̻͉͖̳̳͇̻̩̱̹̦͎̹͓̬̠̩̠̙̞̤̠̙̣͕͕͚̖̲̤̦̗̬̬̜̯̙̩̠̖̟̐̓̓̏̔̄͌͒̿̔͆̉͒͒̐̔̂̒̀̀̅͊͆̈́͒͋̓̍̑̎̓̋̃̾̐̽͛̄̀͗̾̌̈̃͑͒͗̌̈́̂̄́̽̐͒̌̓̓̄̑͆̔̔̐͐͆̊̽̌̆̽̉͊͐̌͘͘̕͘͘̚͘̕̕̕̚͜͜͜͜͠͝͠͝͝ͅͅ  
̴̡̡̡̡̢̛̛̛̦̻͇͎̥̼̪͇̪͍̞͔̹̞͕̰͉̝̺̹͚̹̪̮̹͔̖̲̥̺̮̮͔̭͚̭̟͚̤̜̙̱̟̻̪̱̰̩͔̻͎̫̻̩̪͚̫̼̻̖͚̫̝̥̫̘̝̣̞͚͉͔̫͔͇̻͈̱̥̬̦͇̲̱̻̯̹͖͔͋̉̽͆̈́̌̌̐̀̾̇͗̾̄̍̾͂̀̔̓̀̒̎̅̇̋͑͌̉̋̉̓̔͆́̎̍̓̓̒̿́̓͑̌̒̅̑͊́́͊̅͂̈͊͊̅͐̐͗̈́̅͛͐̍͒͋̃̑̌́̋͐̽͆̇̒̀̅̿̚͘̚̚̚̚͜͜͜͜͝͠ͅͅ  
T̵̡̡̧̡̧̛̛͓̖̻̞͙̦̰̬̞͇̻̙̣͖̼̤͓͙̯͍͓͇̣̻̜̱͖̯̤͓̻͕̹͕̤͓̞̝̥͉̥͉͇̤̲̜͙̲̹̘̱̘̳̲̤͕͉̲͚̺̥͙̱͕̝͔͕̻̝͍̞͍̝̜͖̼͔̥̙̯͎̣̪̰̣̟͎͉̲̳͖̈͋̀̈́̉̈́̑̂̓̑͋̾̾̒̊͆͒̒͐̇̎̒͋̑̅̅̀̿͊͂͂̾̍̈̄͒͆̉͛̆͑̽́͆̒͆̊̍͆͑͒̽̅̀͛̄͂̉́̅̐̆͑̽̔͊̋̈̐̈́͗͆̿̈́̄̂̓̎͂̆͛̕̕͘̕͜͜͜͝͝͝͝͠͝͝ͅ

 

H̴̢̧̡̡̢̨̧̢̛̛͚̥͕̭̗̞̼̣̪̼̘̩͈̘͓̖̩͇̟̭̘̜̼͍̣̳̬͈̻͕̫̱͙͍͚̞̦̖͕͔̙̣̺̦̜͇̺̝͈͈͚̱̜̞͎̝̮̠̙̠̣̖̣͚͇̯͕̲͙͙̟̫͖̤̤̺̫̮̭̻̰̳͔̜͓̣̩͍̦̰͌̇̃͌̍̋̂̾̂̀̎͋̒̃̍̾͑̔̓̽̌̇̃̒̇̈́̍͋̿̈́̿͒͋͑̔̈́͐̃̊̓͗͌̿̒̊̏̊̀͂̎̊͗̋͌̈́̓͌̈̿̐̊͛̏̅̽́̀͐͋̿̈́͐̅̈́́̓̽̐̆͒̔͌̀̽͘͘̕͘̕͜͠͝͝͝ͅ

 

ǎ̫̙͍̇̆͒̎̄ẕ̳̘̬̑͒̈́̈̃͒a͚͍̞̝̦̠̬͐͋̚t̫͔̠ͭͬͦ̍̕h͇͎͖̉͊ơ͙̰͕̲̹̞t̯h͉͔̼̍  
a̢̜̙͔͈͚z̟̭͖̘͉͐ͤ̃̎ͦͭạ̜̭̩̗ͩͪ͟ť̮̟̬͔ͧ̀ḩ̥̭̫̗̱͎̉̔͐̄̐o͔̺̦̝̓̄ṫ̟̄͋̉̏̉̏h̸̔̉ä́̓̔̊ͣ̎z̧͕̭̟̤̻̝̓ͯ̄ͫͩͅaͅt͈̠ͫ̉͆̃̑͂h̶̳̞ͤͬ̈́o̸̰̪̜̗̻̅ͯ͛ͥ̓t̵̬͍̮̻ͦͅh̼̘̬̒ͨͦ̄́̈́  
̣̗̬̖ͤ̈́ͭͤͪ̌ͫa̓ͨͬͭ̉̽z̙̮̗̥̲̓̎͆́a̷̯͓̹͇̬̫̻̔̐́͑̚ť̷ͨͩh̸̩̯̺̓̉͊̌̋͋ͤo̦̅̕t̥͔̺̳̠̼͒ͥ͛͗̀h̉̊҉͎̙͍̬̱̺aͦ̌̄ͪ͆͛̒z̤͎̩͇̹̐̃͌ͩa͉͇̙̻̥̙͕͛̉͑̐͜t̘͋͒ͮ͢hͤͫ̃͏̮͍̤̖͚̼ͅȏ̴̞̙͖͎̳̈ͮt̜͉̬ͭ̐͐ͪͫ͘h͍̩̺̼̩̲̆͗̎͟aͩ̀ͩ̇ͤ͏͖̭̘̣͓̤̤z̝̲͍͇̠̟ͧ̉a̫͎̝̟͈ͪ̀̏͒̊̄t͍̖̠̹̫͕͚͊̌h̹͇̦͍̱̯͒̾ͅǒ̜̰̱̭̱̖̗̽t̫͉̰̥̞ͮ͞ͅh̤̒̽͐̊̚  
̘̩̅̆͌ͦ͞a̫̼̫̱͊̓̽͊͜z̦̭̭̏̄̽̈̍a҉̲̱t͔͓͉̪͔͈̓ͫͅhỡ̯̱̮͖̪̤̽͂̓͐͒̚tͦ͗ͪ̈́h͑̇̅ǎ̤͔̣͔̆ͮz̨̬͇̒͑̒̎a̫͎̥̬̒͒̂̂͜t͔͑͑͟h̜̖̩̩̯͇ͩͤ́͆̂̅̕o̸͈t̊͗̾͆͏͈̮̹h̖̤͓ͮͭaͨ̑̌҉̺z̦͙̗̜̼̘͓ͧͤ̓ͣ͆̐ͣa̛̻t̰̝͈͚͒̎ͣͬͅh̘̎̓̊̑̄͐ͥo͆͌҉̲͇͉̝͙͔̳t̠̠h̹͚͂̑ͧ̀͊͑

a̛̪̬͉̲̠̝̯͈̭̱̦̒̅ͧͯ̈́̆ͫ̏̉ͫ̓̓ͅź̶͚͍̗̘̻̦̦̺̦̘̽ͧ͒ͨ̏͒͒̔̾͒̿̑͆ͫ̕ȃ̴̵͎̠̜͈͚͇͓̼͙̎ͮ̎͡͝ť̵̛͕̻̰̞͓͚̫̦̦ͧ̽̌͊ͮ̅ͭ͂ͥ̓ͨ͑̚͟͝ͅĥͣ͒ͥͥ͋́̓͑҉̡̗̞̼̝̟̦̻̭ŏ̴̶͙̦̹̤̩͖̣̞͕̼͇̀̊ͩ̀̐̚t̴̝̯̥̦̩̓̇̐ͪͫ̒ͥḩ̲͙̖͕̬̯ͫͫͦ͂̀͗̈́ͪ͊̏͛̊͐ͫ̉̔̚̕á̷̛̝͎̼̠̠͈͍̘̜̰̠͈͂̈ͣ͋͊̑̽̓ͤ͐̔̃ͤ̎͟ͅz̽̓̓͛̅ͫͨ̐̓ͨ͝҉̰͔̮͉ͅa̧̧̱͖̣̝̜̗̟͈͖ͩ̉͛̎͑ͥ͋ͩ̐ͯͩͤͦ͗ͩť̨̨͕͙͕̺͙̻̟̪̗̪̮̟̦͖̙̊̔̓ͯͮ͛ͭ̆͛̏̿ͮ̑̊̓̓h̵͙͓̞͔̰̲̩͙̩͎̝͛̂̃̓ͨ́̂͌ͥ̅͗ͯ̐̓̔ͤo̸̖̣̖̟̯͇̪̮͙̳̐̇͛͛̀ͥͮ̌́ͣ̎̊̏ͥ̀ͨ͒͂ͬ͘͡ţ̸̴͔̬̩͍̞̮͙̟͖̑̊ͫ͊̽̿̅ͧ̇̈ͮ͗͋͜ḩ̢ͭ̔ͯ̋̓́̈̈ͩ̂̌͌͆́͑̈́̀̚͝͏͏̯͙̘̗͙̗̹̤̠̹͖̤͇ā̷̺̻̩͓̮̓̑̽̎̒̂̽̌ͨ̊ͣ̍̈́ͯͧz̶͇͔͎̬̮͎̰̩̹̥̹͇͕̎̌͊̎̿̀̌́̃͢͞ͅa̴̛͓̝͙̮͓̞̣͈͙̞͉̲̪̹ͪͬ̌ͬ̐͐̂̎͆ͬ̂͒̆̕tͬ̿͌̈́͊͂̈̓ͩ̐͏̢̛͢҉̬̦̹̯̰̝̪̦͚̟̭ͅh̑͐ͭ̔͐̎ͥ͆̂͐̊̈ͮͪ̒̋͏͘҉̯̳̹̝͇̠͖͎̫̮̳̠̠̰̮̠ͅŏ̴̷̧̝̣̠̯̰͎̪̞̹̺̪̮̯̫̰̳͓͌̓̾̈́̑ͥͫ̑͛ͧ̍ͨ͐͑͆ͭ̃ͭ͜ţ̶̷̻̙̻̘͍̱̰̇̏̽̍̐̃͌̋̄̈́̚͘ͅh̴̺͎̼͓̺̫͛̅̀̋̅̓̊̆ͩ̍͊͂̾͆͠  
̼͉̰̳̫͔̭͔̻̼̓ͣ̏̍̇̄͑ͯ̂͆̔ͮͣ̇ͧ͜ȃ̵̪̰̦̠̖͎͍̹̪͖̗͔̈̔ͣ̈́͊͛͛̓̚͢z͌̑͆̂͏̯̣͍͈̥̤̕͠ͅa̢̨͍̱͎̗͚̯̺̹͋̌̑̓̕͟t̶͖̲̮͎̰̘͓͎̳̘̫̠̳̙̪ͭ̋̑ͬͮ́͛͢͝͠h̛̰̱̼͓̘͕̲̮̤̗͎͈̘͙͇͉͍͒͌͌ͧ͐͛ͫ̍ͤ̎̽ö́̀ͤͣ̃ͪ́̓ͫ͋̇҉͏̵̘̤͕̪̘̪͖͈̞̬͚̞͟ͅt̨̝̝̭̜̙̜̖̣̦̘̺̫͎͔͖̺͇͋͒̀ͣͪ̏̉̐h̵͂ͧ̇̋̌̊҉͉̩͙͟ͅă̴̩̟̗͓̝̹̼̭̘̠̜̩̪͉̗ͪ̓̐͆͛͐͛̚z̢̝̲̙͙̩̝͕̺͍͚͉̙̙̅ͯ̂ͦ͑ͣ̾̉ͦ͆̚͟͠͞ã̛͉̲̬͉̺̦̤̥̞̈́̏̈́̈́ͧ̌ͬ͗͡͡ẗ̴̡̟̣͈̬̞͓͕̪̝͍͉̩͉̤́ͪ̍ͬ̄͆̑ͨ͟͜͠ͅͅh̝͍͍̳̼̜̺̺̭ͧ̄͗̔ͮ́͛̇̃͋ͧ͡o̷̵̮̱̺͚͕͚͔̫̰̟̞ͭ̄ͨͪͩͮ̃̉̄ͥ̔̓ͪ̑͢͡ͅt̸̥̪̘͖̻̠̫̤̊̐̐̏̊ͤ̄ͫ̽̈ͨ̒̊̓͋̌̎̀͘ͅh͗́ͬ͐͌̃ͮͫ̔ͭ͠҉͉͕̝͍̩̠͇̳͕̬ͅͅą̷̰̲̥̩̖̣̝̈̌́ͪ̑̄ͫͤͯ͌̊̍̑ͧͤͨ͆͡z̫̹̞̹̝̞̖̫̯̑̄͗̐ͯ̌̈ͦ͋͘͜͟å̢̛͉͚̯͙̹͙̦̥͔͚̻͇͙͙̳̙͐͋͛̑̋̉̑͂͞ț̶̦͇̣̩͖͋̇ͤ͗̅́ͦ͆̏ͭ͑̑ͨ̚͜h̸̭̰̲̞̰̠̜̦̫͔͓͌̉ͨ͑̚͘͘ơ̷̡̻̰̺̺̗͙̯ͮͩͣͫ̊̾̓̈́͊̒ͦ̋̂ͯ̀t̷̻̩͔̥̦̪̯̣̙̺͔͌̓ͬ̉ͤ̑͐̂̐́͊̑͢ͅḩ̷̤̭̝̰̥̮̞̱̜͔̍̏̋̍̿̇ͧ̏̍͆͊̿̏̐͗̄̚  
̷̨̄̏̌̈́ͤͪ̈́͒̏͛ͮ̿ͮ̈́̑̃͝͏͈͚̟̠̕a̡ͥͪ̄̓̐͋̑ͭ̎͋̂̉ͤ͆̕͏̺̥̰̪̜͇̠͙̫͖͉z̶͕̣̪̮͍̽̃͆͗ͫͣ͒̒͂̍ͨ̑͢a͆̿̊ͨ͆͆̇̑ͣ̒̕͢͞͏͖̩̟͇͍̝͇̦̘̙̥̙̺̤̦̺̱̼̺t̶̹̲͔̲͈̭̝̯͚̝͖̗̹͈͖̩̣̃̎ͣ̒ͤ̅̓͠h̸̨͉̗͔̜͖̔̇̌͂ͦő̶̬̝̱̞̭̗̠͌̌̾ͬ̉͒ͮ͊t̨͙̳̻̱̬̤͈̞ͫ̂ͩ̍͘͢h̟͇̗͕̥̲͖̯̪̘̲̭̝́͆ͣͣ͛͐͛̂̒̄̍̿ͨ̏̚̕̕a̷͌̎ͯ̉ͤͤ͂͒̚͠͝͏̘̯̭̹̘̫̘z̶̾́̂͊͛̃̉ͦͬ̊̐͑ͣ̌͋҉̺̝̯͚̲̮͚̦͔̟̺̟̲͇͘͟a̸͒̽ͪ̾̎̚҉͙͓̳̹̻͍̟̟̙̗̳͕̫̹̱̱̣͘͟ͅͅt̂̀͑̏ͥ̏̈́̒ͭ̍̋͛̽̽ͨ͌̉̾҉̴̢͏̻̥̭̘̮͈̮̙͔͉̲̼̬̳͚̖̗h̴̨̋̏ͬͮ͆̅ͮ͆͋̂̐ͭ̆ͤ̆͏̨̳̟̣͔̺̖͉͍̳̱̰͖̠͔͖̹̲̝ͅo̵̵̘̤̗̦͇̞̳̖͍̰̼͉̠̍̐̉̓ͭt̴̺̱̪̲̮̫̯̪̟̤̞̗̖̩̭͕ͩ̐̍ͣ̑̓ͣ̿̃̾͂͌͆ͭ̔͞͞ͅḩ̴̴̷̥͖̖̠͍̬̝̰̻͇̮͖̤̮̰͍̽̑̽ͩͫ̿͑̿͊̈̿͌̎͂͟a̵̳͎̼̥̟͖͍͑ͭ̅̒ͫ̃̓̚͞z̢̹̠͉̘̎͒̉ͣ̊͆͌̉ͦ͞͡͞͡a̛̟̝̱̘̙̞̰̻̺͕̦̖ͭ̿̑̆͛̂̿̑ͬ̍ͩ͗ͩ̂̓̀͑̐͝ţ͉̯̼͍̭͚̰͔̗̦̳̬̈́ͣ́̈́̉̅̈̽̔͂̓̿̃̉ͫ͗̚ͅh̴͚̳̞̓̅̆̍͐͂͆ͬ̒̅ͣ̑̈́̀ͥ̑̽̚͞ͅơ̮̙͔̪͈̯͈͂̀͌ͨ̋̈́͆ͯ̇̀̈̋ͦ̌̚͞ṭ̶̢̯̻̮͔̤͓͕̭̱̖̈͊͌̀̾̌̋͗̽͑̚ͅͅh̡͍̖͙̺̪͇̟̪̩̻̰̦̫̼͍̥ͮ̀̌̒̎ͩ͆ͦͮͪͭ̈́͘͘̕͠  
̴̸̺͚̩̫̦͖̼̤̠͎̞͕̟̜̺̓͆̂̎͗̾̾̋ͨ̑̓́ͭ̃̈ͧͮ̀͠͡à̶̧̜̙̪̹͍̋̓̓̅̉̏ͥ͐̿ͤͧ͒͢ẑ̵̵̧͉̰̦͓̗̼̘̳̜̤̘̠̓̏ͧ́ͩ̅̿̔͟͡aͮ̈͋͐ͥ҉̖̱͙͎̦̱̭̳͇͎̝̥͉̹̕ͅţ̳̭͙͎̞̝͇̣̳̀ͮͩͣ̂ͦͅh̶̨͕͍̹̩̦͉̬̼̝̱̄͌͑̍̌̿̎̎o͂̀̾ͧ̌͂̈̚͡҉̴̡̲͕̱̟̦̰͉̗͇͉̮̰̖̖̹͔̪̲t́͊͒̉̈͌̑̒ͩͦ̓̚͡҉͉̞̥͉̩͚͔̬̟͓̠̭̤̫ͅḩ̬͇̲͈̹̥̺̫̼̣͈̙̹̰̙̉̋ͫ̿ͫ̏̿ͪ̿ͦ̓͑̇̆͑ͥ̆̚a̢ͣ̑ͥ̔̓ͨ̍ͫ͌̀̾̔ͯ͏̢͚͍̮̗̱̪͉͉͓̞̖̥͘z̸̬̥̫̺̹͇̹̯̬̈̍͂͑͌ͩ͒̾̈̿ͩ͊ͤ͢͝a̢̰̟̬̤̙̰̰̳̗̝͈̹̩̬̰̞̯̰̍͌ͪ̔͋̃͊͒ͬ̓͢͢t̴̢̹͎͎̜̩͉ͤ͛͛͑̑̊̕h̨̧̪̠̯̙͖̳̞̞͖̫̭͇̝̓̈́ͬ͛̚͘͞͞o̸͖̻̰̳͔͓͚̯͕̻̱̒̔̾͒̔̎̉ͤ̿̉͗͒̚͢ţ̸̡͉̹̯͖̘͖̝̒̒̃ͦ̔́ͥ̈ͣͤ̕h̛̭̳̻̥̫̗̫̝̏̌̍̍ͮͅa̛̼͕͕͍͕̠͖̩͔̖͔̭̥̮ͮ̿͐ͣ̑̑͆͞ͅz̞̼̭̻͓̠̺̬̪ͤ̍ͨ͆̌̓͒ͨ͑ͫ̍͊͞͞͠a̵̡̢̻̳̬̞̫̗̖̣̻̹͎̤̹͚͖̭͕͋̉̅̔̈͛̏ͬͩ͒ͦ͠t̸̢̖͇͍̘̬̪͍̞̙̬͙̪͚̯̲̪̱͉̑́͗͌̌̚͘͠h̵̨̯̝̤͇̀̊̾ͩͦ̊ͨͯ̀̅͋͋͑ͦ̈́̍̐̆̚͢͜͝ơ̪͚̫̹̠̦͎̲ͯ̓ͭ̓ͮ̋̐̚ț̷̫̜̭̣̟̱ͧ́ͩͩ̈̑̃ͦ̅͗̉ͪ̌̊́ͬ͒ͪͤ͘͢h̵̭̜̲̖͓̰̟͖͈̤̭̦͖̠̙̔̀͐̇̌ͪ͊ͣͪͤͨ̃ͨͪ͞ͅ

 

“Sweet dreams, g͚͘ŏ̰o̳͛d̼̾ ͖̄ṉ͝i̳̾g̩͒h͔t̩͋, b͇̤͎̘̟̍̂̽͐̚͝ͅḽ̢̗̩͎͓͒͌̔́̉̓į͔̤͍̺̪̈́͑̈́̆̏̚n̨̨͍̠̫̦̍̋̓̍͠d̩̗̮̩̦̞̂̔͒̆̏̐ ̩͕̳̙̖͎̃̒̒̋͠į̷͔̤̗͈͍̋͐͊̓̔͆ḑ̷̮͎͚͖̪͂̑̄̓́͠ḭ̵̼̞̖̖̠̒̔̇̾̄͠ȯ̵̜̠͚͙̮̒̓͆̔̆͜t̴̡̬̹̦̗̙̑̃̂̀̑̇ g̵̡̧̡̛̦̣̳̮̺̪̲̤͔̳̜͍̳͎̩̳̼̱͖̘̮̰̥̰̝͚̼͎̲̎̈́̈́̈͋́̇̋̂͆̉̈́̋̇̒͛̒͊̍̉̓̇̒̓̏͘̕̕͘͘͝ơ̵̢̨̟̰̹̼̱̻̠̺̣͉̱̟̭̞͕̮̟͙͇̳͖͔͚͉̮̹̥̙̺̬͛͆̓̓̓̋̓̍͌̏̽̅̈̐̓̏̎̅̾̃̓̾̉̓͗̽̕̕̚̕̕͝͝d̴̡͇̝͍̮̣̭̗͇̼͙͈̩̱̦̠̗̼̱̱̦̬̗̻͚͙̦̣̰̬͕̔̿̉̎͐̌̆̈́̎̔̈́̓̒̌͆͆̉̓̽͐̃́͑͆̇̉̍͑̈̾̾͒̈́͜͜.”

Drums and flutes. Beating, whistling, breathing, whining, munching, feeding. All around the one sleeping, dreaming, birthing.  
He cannot awake. He mustn't awake. But they want him to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took over a month to finally update, ugh, writer's block.
> 
> I hope you guys appreciate the Zalgo text, it killed AO3 multiple times.


	15. My Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo and Devil, two that none would think have anything in common…

What is the purpose of anything, once you learn you are nothing but part of a show?

Is it a reality that must be faced, or must one continue living that dream?

He does not want to live in a world where the cruel land is nothing but a dream, and the dream-like world is the actual reality. But did the blind god see through to that idea, even in slumber?

If the threshold’s lurker was to be believed, then the answer was yes. Yog-Sothoth would never lie to him. He had been nothing but truthful to the boy, acting more like a father than anyone else ever had, and a better tutor than all who he knew.

How tiring. Just living in this world was exhausting. But the path that the boy had followed made him feel more awake than ever.

* * *

The knowledge of being watched at all times, the truth being that you are nothing but a figment, contrary to the boastful, powerful image that you gave. This was something she couldn’t handle, something she couldn’t take, as she looked down at her own hands, realizing they had become the shape that they once were.

Large, cloven hooves, her skin now covered in hair. Her body position had reverted back to one that would be used by a beast, standing on all fours. The Behemoth’s muscles were completely exposed, as was just about every other part of her body, evident by the torn clothes scattered around.

Hunched over in her original state, the one she was in prior to meeting her master, the Behemoth tried to recall what had happened before her breakdown. Where was Hanzo? Where was Mizuchi? Who was that laying on the ground? Behemoth snorted, approaching the one who had fallen. The cloak was familiar, like she had seen it not too long ago.

A child was inside of it. Beaten and battered, covered in scratches and bloody markings. One mere whiff told the Behemoth that the small girl was dead. A young cultist, the child she had spoken with, was suddenly no more. But how? Behemoth couldn’t remember anything that had happened. Did someone come in and do this? This brat was indeed part of the cult, but there was no reason to kill her. Fudoushi would, yes, there’s no denying that. Behemoth often overlooked it, never caring for what may have happened back then.

But why did the sight of this girl’s corpse give an awful thought? Behemoth glanced at her hooves, noticing something that she didn’t see before. On the bottom of her hooves, she could see stains of red. Carefully lifting one of her arms, the Behemoth placed it over the wounded girl, placing her hoof on one of the bruises left behind.

It matched.

Behemoth didn’t draw back, she just kept staring, now aware that she had just murdered a child in a fit of rage. Madness caused by her inner, primal instinct suddenly kicking back in. How could she do this? What caused this? It was in the back of Behemoth’s mind, as if forcing her to forget, but none of it matters.

Any remaining shred of humanity, anything that could claim to be a person, was all gone. The beast who made herself into a woman, all for the sake of appeal. It never even worked, and in the end, her master preferred someone else. Thinking about it angered the Behemoth even more. What did she do wrong? Was she stuck to be just a monster, no matter what?

She couldn’t control herself. The anger, the inner beast was eating her away once again. Behemoth could only grind her hoof into the corpse, before proceeding to stomp on it further while snarling. It was her fault. This child was to blame, and things could have been good if she hadn’t said a word!

Whatever that word was, Behemoth could not recall. The hateful monster could only maim the child’s corpse, rather than think about anything, anymore.

* * *

Behemoth hadn’t come to them, and neither did Fudoushi.

The Mizuchi Woman was optimistic, believing that they would catch up eventually. Hanzo simply pulled her off to a bad spot was all. If it was up to Mizuchi herself, she would have gotten everyone back together in no time, and this cult nonsense would be over. They would all be disposed of, and there would be nothing to worry about. Things would go back to the way they were, right?

Hanzo meanwhile, was not so hopeful. He already had a feeling the worst had happened already, and nothing could stop it. Fudoushi and Behemoth were both gone. It was a deep feeling, probably because he was around them so much, that he felt like the connections he had were suddenly snapped off. The thought of telling Mizuchi his doubts was a depressing one. She would most likely tell him to stop moping because he would be proven wrong in just a few minutes, only for Mizuchi to be crushed over her friend and her master no longer being there.

And that wasn’t even getting to the fact that he couldn’t hide it any longer. Hanzo had buried this for so long, and it was coming back to haunt him. Every little image was burned into his mind now that it had resurfaced. It was a mistake he made, and a mistake he was going to correct, otherwise, they would come after him.

“Mizuchi,” he murmured, “I have a confession to make, and I know you will not like it, but it must be said.” Hanzo began staring directly at Mizuchi Woman, noticing her change of emotion almost immediately. The overly content, smug look was no longer there, replaced by genuine surprise and uncertainty. It was only for a brief moment though, as she quickly reverted back.

“Well, what could you possibly say that you’re hiding? That you’re not as great as you made yourself out to be in all those little bluffs? We were all painfully aware of it.” She sneered, folding her arms.

He didn’t respond to the insult. It was the usual thing he expected from Mizuchi Woman, and Hanzo was not going to deny what she said. “I admire how you can be so cool about this. Even if it’s just your usual arrogance,” he was completely serious, keeping a straight face, which made Mizuchi worried. “But I can’t hide this any longer. With Behemoth and our master, not present, I don’t have any other choice but to tell you the truth. It’s one I’ve been harboring for as long as I can remember.”

The Mizuchi Woman swallowed hard, feeling her heart start to race. She had no idea what it was that this imbecile was trying to tell her. Of course, she would humor him and let him say whatever. No reason to cut him off, even if he said something really embarrassing, while trying to be so serious. If he did exactly that, it only created more room to mock him, especially with him trying to sound so serious…

She already had a feeling. The Mizuchi Woman knew exactly what was coming, and she would speed up the process if she had to. Stomach in knots, tail swishing violently, Mizuchi Woman plucked a rose out from her flowing, blue hair. Twisting the stem in her clawed fingers, she watched as Hanzo took a few deep breaths.

“I’m a monster.”

 

  
The Mizuchi Woman clenched the rose between her fingers. Her hands immediately tensed up when the ninja began removing his face mask. The pits of her stomach began rising, making Mizuchi feel sick. This wasn’t what she expected. No one could have predicted this, not even those who see into the future, but here he was…

Hanzo, with a horrible infection of some kind, coiling around his face. Veins, or tentacles, Mizuchi wasn’t sure what it was, but they completely covered Hanzo’s mouth. An eye was stuck inside of the tendrils, staring directly at the Mizuchi Woman. He got up, staring down at the dragon girl, then reached out a hand to touch her cheek.

“I’m sorry that you had to learn of this secret,” he whispered softly, “but I can’t feel our master anymore. I’ve lost mental connection with Behemoth as well. Without their minds connected to me, I can only believe that something terrible has happened—”

Pushing him away, Mizuchi Woman got up and backed away, looking as ferocious as she possibly could. “Who are you,” she growled, “are you really Hanzo? Are you a body double of some kind, here to mess with my head? It won’t work, that buffoon… I know him too well, he can’t be replaced!” The ninja stood still, appearing to be anxious.

Those green eyes, always looking so nervous and afraid. The Mizuchi Woman had been given that glance so many times from her associate. Was it really the same person? That little stare said it all, yet Mizuchi still couldn’t let her guard down. Fudoushi had warned them of entities that had abilities that surpassed possibly his own, but…

“I’ve always been like this. A frail coward, that was never different,” Hanzo cleared his throat, “the cult leader, the one responsible for killing Fudoushi’s old student. I knew him. He seemed like just a poor boy, lost in madness, so I tried to confront him.” Holding his head, Hanzo began pulling at his hair, the extra eye twitching wildly. “He told me things I had never thought of. Infinite knowledge, immortality, invulnerability, secrets of the world.”

Removing his hands from his hair, Hanzo began glaring at his own hands. “I was blinded with being selfish, Mizuchi, and for that, the cult leader saw me as a perfect subject, to confront the lurker; Yog-Sothoth.” Touching the tendrils on his face, Hanzo wanted to rip them clean off, just so he could speak normally again.

“I wasn’t ‘worthy’ to him just yet, but he saw potential. He allowed the cult leader to give me a chance. When that dreaded ritual was performed, I was granted immortality and knowledge. It was too much to handle. I couldn’t do any of that kind of madness, even with this eye from the Yog stuck to my face. Always watching what I do, in hopes that I succeed, I—” he stopped himself short, making sure to keep himself on track. Go too far, and Mizuchi might be dragged into the abyss, just like he was. “Yes, Fudoushi knows of it. I came to him because I felt connected to him in some way.

“Mizuchi, do you understand?” Hanzo asked. “I was formerly connected to that cult, and all who had been touched by that lurker, will only lead to a poor scenario. There are multiple outcomes, so that Outer God told me.” Grasping at the eye, little tears began leaking out. If not for the great pain it caused him, Hanzo would crush it with his bare hands, but he wasn’t in the control to do so.

Taking a kunai from his pocket, Hanzo carefully handed it to Mizuchi Woman, who had gone completely pale. “Mizuchi, with how many times you’ve declared how worthless I am… it’s only fair that you have the courage to do this. There’s no one left who can. I would have asked our master or Behemoth of this, but it’s too late now. I need you to remove this parasite, and end my li—”

A loud smack echoed throughout the cave. Hanzo collapsed onto the ground, a stinging sensation going through his face. Little cuts from the Mizuchi’s nails were left on him, making the tendrils and his skin bleed out a hideous, yellow liquid.

“You idiot,” Mizuchi muttered, “imbecile, fool, moron, buffoon. Hanzo, there aren’t enough words to describe how stupid you are!” She began snarling, towering over the mutated ninja. “If I didn’t have a reason to hate you for being such a coward, I do now, more than ever! Don’t you understand? If you have so much knowledge, then why can’t you see why I won’t do such a thing?”

He blinked at her. “It’s because you have hidden affections for me. I always knew,” he replied, “why else do I just roll with your punches? Why else would I trust you with this? Unfortunately, I don’t think you should be having these conflicted feelings over a monster like myself. You may not be human either, but you don’t have to carry a burden like this. If I stay alive, they will find me, and use me to bring in the creator.”

“Who?”

“The creator, whose name must not be—”

She slapped him again, then pinned him to the floor. “Who cares? I don’t give a damn if you’re a freak with some parasite stuck to his face, I don’t care if you’re weak, I don’t care if people will come after you! Because,” Mizuchi sobbed, “it’s the same as always, Hanzo. I’m the one that has to watch over your stupid ass, but now, you’re telling me I should kill you!?”

Watching as her tears began dripping onto his clothes, Hanzo reached up and held Mizuchi’s head once again. Making her enter an embrace of comfort, she dried her eyes in his chest. He could read it, even if at first he didn’t understand what she was blubbering about. Why was she bothering with him when he was such an anchor? Always weighing others down, the Mizuchi Woman always called him out on it too. Why he never just left, how he was still alive, but that answer was here.

The dragon woman, taking her shape for reasons similar to Behemoth, only felt closer to the ninja. He wasn’t human, he was at one point in time, but not anymore. To be so alone, and to find a man that while pathetic, did not treat her like a monstrous beast, was a change. Now, the Mizuchi Woman wanted to take things back, because he was in a similar position this whole time.

A serpent who was challenged by a warrior, exiled for being a monster, changed to a humanoid in hopes of acceptance.

A selfish human that desired to be the best, having just a normal life, then avoided contact after his own change.

Things are right as they were. Even if Hanzo was afraid of the future, he knew that they were all just misfits. From monster to human in the case of the Mizuchi Woman and the Behemoth, or vice-versa for Fudoushi and Hanzo himself.

“I’ll keep you from doing stupid things, just like always. Nothing has to change…”

* * *

There wasn’t much time. He was using everything in his power just to open the void. He wasn’t as talented as Satan or even that stupid doppelgänger, but Devil had to keep trying. Pocket dimensions were possible, but actually linking to another one, was a far more difficult task. Several Puyo had been blown to gooey bits, just from him trying his hardest to get the magic right.

That doppelgänger had a spell at her fingertips, while with everyone else, it was a random chance it seemed. There was no absolute way to link to another world, not unless he did something else. Putting his hand over the red jewel on his forehead, Devil could never really figure out what its purpose was, even as he got older. “As if I have some laser power like that blasted Carbuncle does,” Devil began cursing to himself, wondering what chain it was that could set others into another realm. The same kind that made Satan suddenly vanish.

Maybe it wasn’t that he had to clear a great amount of Puyo, nor did he have to create a giant, flashy attack. No, it had to be much less if even mere weaklings could go missing. Perhaps, it wasn’t an attack at all, but a mistake? People could pull off just about any little spell, and it wouldn’t send them away, so what if they did something that bent the rules?

Devil tried to let the Puyo fill the magic board, blocking off any possible move that he could make, until the third row on the left was at its limit. He tried to worm the two Puyo out of the tight spot. Was it something here?

He saw it now. Rapidly trying to twist them so much, the two Puyo had separated and could go above and outside the magic board. Devil carefully pondered his next line of action. Either this was exactly what he wanted, or it was something that wasn’t going to help at all. The chance had to be taken though, he wasn’t going to let it slip.

Matching the separated Puyo with one that was on the top of the board, he could hear the sound of something being cleared, followed by the magic board rumbling. It was a mere glitch in the magic works this whole time, a mistake, that somehow could open a void to another world. Backing away from the vortex that began sucking in all the Puyo, Devil looked over to Succubus, who had been lying there for an hour.

She deserved to be back with the others, even if Devil was often not the type to show sympathy. After whatever mental and physical torture Cthulhu put her through, she may not be the same ever again, but anything was better than turning into a Night-gaunt. Struggling to lift her body, Devil hoped that whatever world was on the other side, did not have to go through what this one was handling right now. Throwing the Succubus into the void, Devil watched as she was sucked into the other world.

Devil himself could leave this world for the other one if he so wished, but he did not want to. He had gained his spot on Satan’s throne and planned to keep it for as long as he lived. Saving this world was not an option, it was something he had to do. For respect, and to let these deities from the outside know that he was the worst that the world had to offer. There would be no other like him.

The void eventually closed, leaving Devil standing there. He waited, hearing the heavy footsteps coming towards him. “So it is you who stole the unformed Night-gaunt from my hands,” a voice said directly to his mind, “do you intend to impede our progress? I can feel that is what you wish for.”

Swiftly turning around, Devil flew into the air, facing Cthulhu from a distance. He appeared to be finished with the small town, leaving the destruction to somebody else most likely, as Cthulhu had gained more interest in pursuing the small demon. “Otherwise, you would have run and cowered. It is impressive to see a creature such as your kind do something so brave.”

“What of it?” Devil snapped at him, proudly presenting himself to the Great Old One. “You’re all intruding on my realm, and I’m not gonna let it happen. You’re getting out of here, and I’ll be the one to make sure it happens!” With a grin, Devil cracked his knuckles, trying to intimidate Cthulhu, who stood there without flinching.

“I am an entity of strength power mankind, nearly invulnerable,” Cthulhu explained, “but yet you openly present yourself as a threat to our awakening? I will not decline, but I still highly discourage these actions.” Also taking to the air, his giant, muscular form was visible to all who looked up to the sky. Devil felt a bead of sweat roll down his face, knowing just what kind of outcome this could have.

He was probably going to be knocked into a vegetable or something, but Devil had to retain his confidence. He was the dominant character here, and he had to prove it to the world. “What are you waiting for? You going to do your worst?” Flying straight at him, Devil squinted at his opponent. “Or are you going to give me the silent treatment!?”

Cthulhu didn’t have to say or do anything to get a reaction out of Devil, whose hands and eyes began twitching. The image of the deity was becoming fuzzy, as was everything around him. Devil heard the sound of scratching and scraping, like nails grinding up against stone walls, a dreadful noise he was familiar with in Lyla’s Ruins, when the Garuda chased after their prey. A migraine was taking over, and he was starting to hear someone call out to him.

The Kaiju, calling him a liar, over and over, ringing nonstop. He was losing his mobility in the air, unable to keep himself flying for much longer. “As I thought,” Cthulhu thought aloud, “with the way this world is, your mind can only handle so much. Showing this amount of confidence can only mean you are frail on the inside.” Reaching his large hands out, Cthulhu caught Devil before he could plummet to the ground.

This was far different from how Cthulhu handled Succubus, as he dangled Devil by the tail, just staring at him. He wasn’t going to kill him, force his body to transform, or even say a word. No, instead Cthulhu was going to watch as Devil’s sanity slipped away. There was no need to waste strength on someone who still had the mindset of an immature child, what with this demon not being able to keep word about anything or have good control over others.

Cthulhu was about ready to drop him and watch him plummet, leaving Devil to land headfirst, cracking his skull open most likely. He did exactly that and watched as his would-be opponent started falling once more.

It felt like it would never end, as if Devil had been dropped into a bottomless pit. He closed his eyes, refusing to give in to this torment. Struggling to flap his wings or cast a spell properly with how frantic he was, the last thing left for Devil was to hold his head in agony from all the groans that were echoing in his ears. A pitiful example if Cthulhu had ever seen one. He was done with this child, and now he would go back clearing out the intruders of this realm.

Shuffling away, Cthulhu looked back one more time, startled to see the boy suddenly recover from his fall. He could not understand how this happened, until he noticed that Devil’s eyes were completely shut.

The red jewel in his head, it was never a jewel at all, but an eye. A third eye, implications that Cthulhu could completely understand. “I see now, I should not have made assumptions. You are not a mere boy, but a man capable of seeing things with more than just regular vision. The reality which I warp, is exposed to its true plane. You see me, without breaking your mind now.” Holding his hand out once again, Cthulhu glared at Devil. “You are like those who can create fake realities. You are still not ready to see things to its very end, however. Child, with my aid, I can prepare you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Devil questioned eyes still shut, besides the one on his forehead. “I have an advantage against you, and I’m going to prove myself by beating you back to the realm you came from. I’m not gonna ask for help, because if I can take you, then I can take whatever else lies in and out of this world!”

He began flying over Cthulhu, prepared to finally fight the Great Old One.

* * *

Wish had been lying there, and she didn’t know how long she’d been doing it. Her grandson had been trying to get her back on her feet, but it wasn’t any use. Even the others accompanying Wizard couldn’t offer any words to comfort her.

“I keep losing people,” Wish sobbed, “I lose everyone. I can’t do anything, I can’t save them.” She felt like she was going to die of grief, and right now, if not for her grandson being right there, she would have done it if possible. He was the only thing left, now that just about everyone else had left her life.

Witch was missing, nowhere to be found, Wish never got to say goodbye to her granddaughter.

Ikuri had lost it, he became Dark Matter and was no more after the dark mage took care of him.

Rhizo chose to face the future that haunted her, defeated by the very entity she spoke with.

Clayton gave himself up just to keep his wife and grandson out of harm.

And her daughter…

“Wizard,” Wish murmured, “you still remember your mother, don’t you? My little girl?” Wizard slowly nodded in response. He never saw what had happened, and neither did Witch, but the two of them only knew that she passed on from a fatal injury. They did not know the exact details, but every moment was scarred in Wish's brain. Even when she wanted to forget about it, she couldn’t make the memory go away.

She could recall how the young woman stumbled in Mokemoe Labyrinth, covering her face. She couldn’t heal herself, as blood was coating her hands, the red shade that was just a bit darker than her own hair. Wish immediately began screaming at the sight of her daughter in that state, seeing it continue trickling, and when she parted her daughter’s hands, it only got worse.

Her nose has been completely torn off, leaving nothing but a disgusting, bleeding wound. It would be one thing if it had been merely broken, but this was a whole different injury. Eyelids scratched, an entire eyeball pushed in. She was crying and twitching in pain, this wasn’t a wound that Wish could revert with magic, no, the wounds were far too great. She lost it, and pleaded for her daughter to hold on, and that someone had to help. Wish demanded to know who or what did this to her, but her daughter had no voice left from screaming and sobbing in pain.

The grandkids weren’t there to witness it, something Wish was thankful for, but it took a while for Clayton to hear the pleas for help. The only thing Wish could hear through the gurgles and wheezing were the words “outside”.

 

  
_Outside._

Outer. Outside beings. Outer Gods.

“Grandma?”

After all Rhizo described, after what Ikuri had done in the past. Oh god, why didn’t Wish say more about it sooner? Why did she lock up her trauma away? Why didn’t she try to find out more? This could have been prevented!

“Listen, don’t give up!”

They took away not only Rhizo and Clayton, they took Ikuri’s sanity, they made him fear, and they took away Wish’s little girl, who gave her two beautiful grandchildren.

“I’m still here for you, you’re not alone,” Wizard said, trying to comfort his grandmother. She didn’t even notice that he was talking to her, as if Wish needed to feel worse about everything in her life. She struggled to get up, and wrapped her arms around Wizard tightly, not letting go of him.

These worshippers, the ones that Ikuri said would hurt the likes of Wish and ruin the world. He was right in the end, and now, those people would pay the price. She let go and finally stood up, waddling towards the sealed entrance, well aware that Clayton was still out there. Perhaps this whole time, a part of him was trying to avenge their daughter as well, but she would never really know.

“Hey, old lady, what are you doing!?” Choppun stammered.

“Waiting,” Wish replied with a whisper, “waiting to meet that killer who took everything I loved.”

“But grandma—”

“They took Ikuri’s mind. They took Clayton and Rhizo, as well as your mother.” Wish stated. “They have tormented me for years, and I had never noticed it until now. These things slipped right under me, and haunted me.” Raising her staff, she glared at the blocked off entrance. “And now, they must be paid back in full.”

Finally, the door crumbled. Wish and the others were revealed to Yog-Sothoth. Clayton was nowhere in sight, and the tower-shaped lurker was staring straight down at his wife. “You speak of and desire to challenge me, even if you are to suffer the same fate as your accomplice and your husband? For I am invulnerable to all.” Yog-Sothoth declared, eyeballing the mortified group.

“What does it take for you to leave this world then?” Wish questioned, narrowing her eyes, trying her hardest to control the anger that boiled deep inside of her.

“I shall be honest,” Yog-Sothoth responded, “we would have to be called back, or we cease existing.”

“Then I will hold you here until that time comes.”

“Is that really wise, considering how the last two could barely hold me?” Yog-Sothoth asked, greatly amused by the comet summoner.

Wish didn’t answer him this time. She was going to try to protect her grandson no matter what, and get revenge for all of the suffering that had gone on for over fifty years. It didn’t matter if he was invulnerable to everything, Wish just had to hold him back from disposing of any more lives for as long as she could. The others could try to get away, but this was as far as they could go without running into something just as bad as the Outer God who stood there.

Everyone was stuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I had a huge chunk of writer's block. I had no idea what to do in this chapter, because it focused on a minor character for a majority of it. That's one of the reasons this took so long.
> 
> Thankfully next chapter has more Brother F, and his scenes are really fun to write, so I should be more motivated.


	16. Someone was There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brother F's last stand.

Blonde hair and blue eyes, heart and dress of a strawberry…

It was the only thing to be feared.

* * *

As the deity was knocked towards the ocean, his cranium damaged, he roared in agony from Devil’s magic. How could this be? Cthulhu realized that this young man would prove to be a challenge once he closed all his eyes and could see a reality that was not manipulated by Cthulhu’s own hands, but he did not think that the battle would be so brutal. He muscles were aching, nerves throbbing. Scaly, slimy flesh burned from Devil’s fiery spells. Cthulhu never thought he could feel pain, not to this extent especially, and yet he was proven wrong.

He had to retreat. He had to go back down and sleep it off. Spreading his wings out, Cthulhu tried to shield himself from the bolts of lightning that came crashing down on him. It was barely any use, as he was weakening further. Cthulhu was aware that death was impossible, but he was still capable of fainting if he went through any more of this. Legs turning to sea foam, a green color began filling the ocean, blending in with the waves. His time was just about up, and he was well aware of it.

Sinking into the sea, melting, Devil could see it, and could only mock Cthulhu as his bellowing echoed throughout the land. “Is this the most you can do? I expected someone like you to go out with a bang, not a pathetic whimper.” Devil smiled, feeling proud of himself for achieving this. To protect a land and hold his position as the dominant one, managing to knock an old deity down off of his pedestal.

And now, Cthulhu was dissolving, intending to become one with the ocean, so that he may be reborn once again in due time. Devil did not know that this was the case, and had come to the conclusion that this was the death of Cthulhu, leaving only a few more things in this world he called his own to be cleaned up.

Turning up his nose from the Great Old One, Devil could now relax, feeling more triumphant than ever. It wasn’t until the bellows of others began to echo, as if reflecting Cthulhu’s fall. He was filled with arrogance and pride still, so Devil was willing to continue onto whoever came next. However, he wasn’t prepared for the numbers that responded to Cthulhu.

An enormous creature with massive arms and legs, his body akin to that of a fish, was Father Dagon. A body of tentacles, cloaked in yellow, barely exposing himself, Hastur the Unspeakable drew forth. An obese, amphibious mass trotted over, Tsathoggua, rolling his tongue out, in hopes of devouring the one who had put down their family member.

Devil was trapped. Three against one, and the moment he fell, he would be consumed, no doubt. This was his punishment for becoming so high and mighty over Cthulhu, he had neglected the knowledge of other entities that were familiar with him. An attempt should be made, one last time, to assert his dominance, even though Devil was already exhausted just from removing Cthulhu. Maybe they would not be as strong as they appeared. They certainly did not have the benefit of manipulating insanity.

The crazed, mysterious Hastur however, would not take his brother’s disgrace so passively. Devil would have to keep his third eye open, just for that.

* * *

He wasn’t too certain of where he was now, as he had merely followed the hieroglyphs and what his magic drew him towards. A twisted source of outer energy, the leader, the man responsible for all of this. The religious leader who would plant the seeds of terror in this world, he was right there, in the chamber that was in Dark Matter’s sight, painting on the floor with a peculiar ink of some kind.

The sweet scent of strawberries gave a relaxing feel. The ink on the floor, upon further examination, appeared to be bright pink, and once Dark Matter glanced at the basket close by, he realized they were the juices of pokeberry. Red stems and dark berries were all gathered in a hand-made basket, he almost wondered if the cult leader had crafted it himself, as odd as that would be.

“The stain of strawberry is unfortunately not as strong as the natural ink of pokeweed. In a chamber such as this, the juices of strawberry would just appear invisible in comparison to pokeweed. It’s a pity, as I am not exactly fond of the poisonous fruit. It reminds of the bitters of how life in this world can be. It has that lovely red stem and white flowers, and those tempting fruits, which if devoured, give undesired results. Not like the strawberry of outside dreams, where one could stare and taste whatever they like, and not meet an unfortunate fate.”

Brother F finally finished his work. A horrific sigil was painted on the floor, which made the cultist draw backward. “It is the sign of the gateway, the key around my neck shall open it, then the creator can make whatever adjustments he pleases. To connect the gate with the bitters of life, would be the only fitting way for our creator to pull everyone back, yes?” Brother F questioned, his skeletal body, covered in flesh-like substances making Dark Matter uneasy, even though he was a man of bone himself.

“You are the one who called upon these beings, and demanded the removal of monsters, or those who practice darker arts? Hypocrite you must be, considering the state of your own body.” Dark Matter scoffed. His bandages began twisting, forming into arms like he did in his brawl against the Night-gaunts. “Surely you must realize how petty these views of yours are.” Brother F could only blink one of his eyes, but it lightly twitched, as if unable to open and close the eyelids properly. For all Dark Matter knew, Brother F’s eyelid could have been peeled or melted off.

  
He raised his fingers, creating a magic circle which had red in its colorful lights. Hot to the touch, Dark Matter prepared his fiery magic, hoping that he could just burn the cultist’s bizarre flesh off of his bone. “Nevertheless, I believe in destiny, and the stars had laid out your defeat for me, and nobody else. I would say I regret my previous demise so I could not stop it sooner, but now, I am certain that someone such as yourself cannot vanquish me. Is there anything else you would like to say, before I turn you to ash?” Dark Matter questioned, knowing that his adversary probably had a few more things he wished to speak of.

Sighing, Brother F appeared to be expressing disappointment. “I too, have imagined the thought of being disposed of by a sorcerer. It is depressing that it was you, and not she who resembles the sweet tallara. But the likes of a fortune teller such as yourself is actually quite fascinating.” He relaxed his arms, the eyes on his pelvic region, hand, and arm staring directly at Dark Matter. “I have my very own powers, gifted from what I read in the Necronomicon—”

“Ultimate Flare!”

Casting the roaring flames in Brother F’s direction, Dark Matter watched, hoping that it would be finished as soon as it started. Such a pathetic display this was. A cultist who morphed his body, making himself vulnerable to fire which consumed the cloak wrapped around his waist. Dark Matter waited for him to fall over, approaching the Necronomicon that was placed on a stone pedestal. The lack of screaming was unsettling, completely different from how Dark Matter burned the men in that sanctuary. Brother F wasn’t reacting to it, as if he felt nothing.

Before Dark Matter could even touch the Necronomicon, intending to burn it like he had done with its owner, he failed to see how close Brother F was coming close to him, grabbing onto the dark mage so the flames would spread to him. Gasping, the bewildered Dark Matter attempted to pull away, but the fires only spread to his violet cloth and bandages. His bones becoming grey and black from burns, Dark Matter managed to break free, trying to put the flames out as fast as he could. He had never expected someone to try and take the mage with them while burning, it was first, an action Dark Matter believed that no sane man would try.

Only bits and pieces of the violet cloth remained. The bandages had burned off, leaving only a few strands of them behind. The ones around Dark Matter’s eye and mouth had been disposed of, revealing the rest of his face to Brother F. There was a tiny amount of dead skin left on him, which surprisingly was not burned away. Dark Matter would have taken his fury out on the cultist for this dirty tactic, but he was met with another surprise.

“Reanimator,” Brother F chanted, his grotesque veins regenerating his oddly structured body. It was unbelievable, Dark Matter had seen nothing like it until now. He understood the capabilities of healing magic, but to see a human grow his burned off muscle back like he was a plant, it was beyond Dark Matter’s imagination.

“Unlike yourself, I have the gift to keep myself moving. I am afraid you will have to do a bit more to knock me down.” The cloth covering his hips was no longer there, leaving Brother F’s horrific body exposed. Brother F knew that this wasn’t the most esteemed way to fight someone, but there wasn’t any way that he could ask to redress himself. “Nameless City!” He called out, taking advantage of the stunned Dark Matter.

Waves crashed against Dark Matter like they came from the ocean, an energy which left Dark Matter’s shoulders feeling dislocated, something he did not think was possible. Growling in pain loudly, Dark Matter held his shoulder. Whatever it was Brother F did, it hurt, and he wasn’t sure how something like that could cause such. He tried moving around, only to hear the sounds of cracking within his bones, which was not at all pleasant.

“Shooting Star!” Making a magic circle with his hands again, Dark Matter hoped that this at least did something to Brother F, without him reforming his body. The little meteoroids collided with Brother F’s body, making holes in his frame. One of the mouths on his arm had its teeth broken, while an eye on his pelvic region was burned, sinking into the flesh. Brother F visibly winced at the feeling of both of those, holding his arm.

If he tried to regenerate parts of his body, he would leave himself open for Dark Matter to double the damage, it would be too much of a risk. The best strategy is to make himself as unpredictable as possible, constantly leading Dark Matter with surprises. “Dunwich Horror!” Brother F shouted, summoning invisible tendrils, which could not be seen to Dark Matter. They lashed out against the mage, covering his body with a viscous substance, a honey with a disgusting, dark color. Dark Matter had no skin or blood, but he was still mortified, his body feeling glued together.

Dark Matter attempted to tear it off, the few strands of bandages remaining stuck to his bones and clothes, binding a part of his arm. He could use fire spells again, but it would risk burning himself once more if the substance was flammable. “My personal belief is that men and women born as warlocks or witches that practice within darker, questionable arts, should perish. Basic sorcery is passable, but frowned upon by us, especially compared to actual talents, such as the Yaddithian wizard for example. The Dunwich Horror, fallen son of my lord Yog, his power was given to me when I met Yog-Sothoth. This blessing I carry is on that is not common amongst the Deep Circle.”

Struggling, Dark Matter attempted to peel the substance away, only for it to now be stuck on his hands, dripping from his fingers. The one thing Dark Mater could do was shake them off, or try to rub them against the walls, just so it would peel off and he could free his limbs, hurting his shoulders further in the process. How was it that he felt more like a mortal here, when he was one of the undead? Brother F simply watched him squirm, plotting his next move against the mage.

“Perhaps opening the gate of your mind with my key will make you crumble.” He couldn’t have predicted that Dark Matter would do the same thing Brother F had done to him moments earlier, the mage lunged at him, using the substance remaining on his hand to grab at the Silver Key, the very second Brother F exposed and mentioned it no less. He gasped, trying to snatch it back from Dark Matter’s hands, but he yanked it as hard as he could, hoping to strangle the cultist, and sever his bulbous veins, which began pulsating more furiously.

He kept pulling. Dark Matter had no muscles, but he was going to tear the key if he tried. “Silver Ke—”

Brother F choked on his words, Dark Matter shoving a fist into his mouth, just to silence him a little while longer. He couldn’t get away with using that key, or his chants, otherwise Dark Matter would be vulnerable. His tongue was grasped, thin and dry, like the rest of Brother F’s body, one could only wonder how it was even still there. Dark Matter was willing to twist it and rip it out if he had to.

Without enough space, Dark Matter was unable to use his most potent attack spell. Even if he did, his two arms of bandages being destroyed meant it would not be as powerful as it normally was. He could try to use the spell at point-blank, but it may be far too risky, as it could do fatal damage to himself in the process.

It wasn’t worth it, not right now at least. It was only a thin, burned leather strap holding that damned key there, which somehow didn’t become ash with Brother F’s cloak. If he tried just a little harder, he knew he could yank it off. Lightly igniting a flame without calling the Ultimate Flare spell, Dark Matter tried to torch the strap once more, just to do some last bit of damage. The flame crawled up past the key, turning what remained of the strap to nothing but an easily breakable crisp. He got the key, even if he had burned his own hands in the process, and now Dark Matter was going to torch the cultist’s tongue too.

Even that became nothing but a burned piece of flesh, allowing Dark Matter to tear it off. Brother F did not scream like Dark Matter had imagined the cultist would, he just stumbled back, trying to reach for the key that was taken from him. Dark Matter stared at him, before grabbing Brother F by the neck once more. “You cannot regenerate this time, not unless you command it so, is that right? And without this key, you are nothing—”

“Ik…uri was it?”

Dark Matter stared deeply into Brother F. How the hell was it that this cultist knew his name? How can he still hiss his words without a tongue?

“You and I aren’t, very different, I hate to say,” Brother F gurgled, his words difficult to comprehend, pausing in between each time he spoke just a little bit. A small bud was slowly growing back to become his tongue. “We both once had a name, until we transformed, with less shell covering, our bones. Practicing, questionable arts, that are frowned upon by many. How we pursue, someone so questionable, to be adored, yet also to be feared. Women, we cannot get close to, in the end.”

Mucus and thick substances built up around his budding tongue, slimy, leaving Dark Matter disgusted. “The necromancer isn’t so different either,” he now said with a bit of lisp, “is that why you despise him, and push him away? Why you hate when others such as me or him compare ourselves to you? You hate things that remind you of who you are, because truly, the only person you hate, the one man you detest the most, is yourself, for everything that happened.

 

 

“Isn’t that right?”

 

 

Forcing the cultist’s mouth open, Dark Matter could see that his tongue was attempting regeneration, despite not even chanting his words. Perhaps he was capable of muttering it under his breath, even if the incantation was not entirely there. A fitting compromise against this fool, was to lash out and be as unpredictable as he was, since Dark Matter now realized that his usual magic would be what Brother F expects, especially since he frowns upon it so.

He had not said a word about those who can fight physically however, and Dark Matter could tell that Brother F did not imagine the mage would use his own, bony hands to try and strangle him. The most insane way Brother F could be struck, in a way he wouldn’t ever think, was now in Dark Matter’s hands.

The Silver Key was shoved down his throat.

Jamming it down, twisting it multiple times, Dark Matter yanked it out, only to push it back in. Several cords, veins, flesh were cut, and bones were scraped. Dark Matter began tearing at the skin around his jaw, hoping to pry it open. Dark Matter was shouting, almost screaming like he did when he was a young boy. The mucus that was once around the reforming tongue was getting all over Dark Matter’s hands, in and out the key went, jutting each part of Brother F’s insides, even chipping his teeth.

Dark Matter finally pulled the Silver Key out and dropped it, covered in fluids. He snapped Brother F’s jaw off, aching his arms as he did so. Brother F cried out, attempting to cast a chant, but only flailing and grabbing Dark Matter’s necklace, tearing it right off of him, not realizing what he had done in his panic.

Glancing down at the ruined necklace, the gift Wish had given him so long ago, Dark Matter finally dropped Brother F to the ground. The one token of their friendship was in pieces. It was the only good memory of Dark Matter’s past, even if it gave him heartache every time he remembered it was there. It had been pulled off, fell, and had been broken.

Dark Matter and the cultist remained still. The latter was perplexed, despite the grave amount of pain he was in, he could probably still recover. However, it seems the former would not give him the time of day to do so, as he shrieked in absolute agony.

In his rage, Dark Matter held up his arms, creating a magic circle that was colored blue. “Lunar Eclipse!” He shouted as loud as he could. Dark Matter did not even distance his power, he pointed his spell directly at Brother F, point-blank, enough to harm them both.

The shockwave of the full moon being eclipsed on him made Brother F recoil horribly in pain. It wasn’t even Dark Matter at his full potency, but for the mage to bring his attack up close did a considerable amount of harm. He felt his nerves start dissolving, followed by other parts of his body. He desperately attempted to attach his jaw back, knowing that he could regenerate if he muttered just a little bit of his chants, but it wasn’t any use.

“Lunar Eclipse!” Dark Matter repeated, forcing Brother F’s body into a second shock, one that was impossible to recover from. He could feel his spine snap, his body paralyzed and without the Silver Key around his neck, he could do nothing.

 

 

It was perfect.

This wasn’t what Brother F had planned, but it was just fine. Yes, the creator probably knew that this would be enough to pull the once mortal man back.

Dark Matter finally stepped back, falling backwards, comprehending his actions. He had murdered him, the cult leader who would bring destruction and the world’s end. Brother F, of the Deep Circle, was no more. The mage’s thoughts and dreams would no longer be tormented with thoughts of the future, even if he sacrificed everything he cared for to reach it.

Was he… the hero, despite his name and what he had done? What was originally intended? Even what Wish had said?

Then why, despite the fact he had disposed of the man who would ruin the world, did Dark Matter feel like things were only worse? It wasn’t satisfying, it made Dark Matter feel empty, like he did almost all of the time. The room around him felt darker, emptier, Dark Matter hated himself even more than ever this moment. He had maimed someone that was just like him, but he refused to admit that the cultist was right.

 

 

No, ̷h̸e w̸as̶ n̸ot̵ al̸on̶e.

 

 

 

S̴o̴m̸e̴t̴h̷i̸n̷g̴ ̸w̷a̷s̸ ̵t̷h̴e̷r̵e̵.̸ S̛o͘m͟͠e͟ǫ̷n̨e̵ ͝w̸̡a͠s̢̨ th̷e̢͏̛ŗe͞͠

Ţh̷͘e͡ ̷̕cr̷̨e̵̵͏at͘o̵̕͘ŗ, ̧͢͠t͏͘h͏̴͘e͝ ̴b̸̧͟l̵͟ind̛̛ ̴͞id͘͢i͘͠o̢t̸͜, h̷̕e w͢ho͟ ͘sl͠e̵e̸̕p͡s͏̷͡ ͠a̴n̴͢d͏ ͏͡͏w̴̧at҉ch͠e͘҉s̡ ̶a̧̨l͘l.̡͜ Ą̜͔̜̖͜͡ ̨̥̗͔͓̙̱̥͔̗̖͟ ͏͏̞͚̩̫̝̖͢ ̢̮̦̪̖͖̙̮̠͙̮̘̩͟z̶̰͈̙̭͕͉̥͍͉̥͍̬͢ ̘̩̟̻̤̫͉̭̻̼͞͞ ̮̮̫̬̰͖̥̮̯̤̟̭̭̤̩͕̜̞͍͟ ̧̲͚͕͔͚͈̘̞̙͎̭̟̯̮͈͝ ̵̸̢̘̪̪̲̝̺̣͎͓̥͇̩̕͡ͅͅa̦̪̝̤̰͕̼̩̥͖̤͜͢ͅ ̷̸̧̢̝̯͎̫̺̘͍̫̣͇̯͇̼̯̦͝ͅ ̤̟̖͎̲̲̜̙͍͔̥͢͝ ̸̨͟͏͈̣̦̪͘t̴̢̙̘̯͍̯̙̗̘͈̝̬͍̜͘ ̨̺̘̠͉̮̭̻̯̦̮̠̮̤͎̲͟ͅͅ ̧͉͉͇̹͓͈̤̥̼̩̺̼̦̘͚͈͟͠ ̭̟̻̹̣̣͕͎̪̼̪̩͙͘͝h̕͞͏̮͖̫͕̬̞̝ ͝҉̙̤͉͓̯̰̪̗͇͙̘ ̨̜̜͎̳̳̦̗o̢͔̥̟̥̦̭̟̝͢͟͠͠ ̵̨̨̨̘̩̲̥̟̦̩͚̬͇̘͈̰̗t̶̝̖̖̬̩̟̤̟͖̟̺̱̜̜ ̯̬̬͖͔̺̘̜̱̬̯͘͡͠ͅ ̸̶̶͘͏͉̻̗͈̗̹̩̜̘̺̣̘̰͕ ̷̸҉̧͍̪̪̗̗̣͡h̖̩͈͙̤͍̫͘͟͞ͅ, ̸̡s̡u̶͘͟p̵͟͡r̴͟͠e҉̴͜m̵̡҉e͢͝,͞͝ ̸̛b̛͜͏̧̛o̶͢u̷̷͢n̴̨͠d̶҉̴͘l̸͟e̴̛͏s̷͘͘͝͡s̡̛͢ ̨̕͢͡s̕͜u̡͟͢͡l̵̴͠͡͏t̷̢͞a̴͡͡n̵̡̛̕͟ i҉̶̴͏n͞͏͠ ̸̷̷͝ḩ̴̡͟i̴̢̢͟͠s̡͟͞ ̶̨a͏̕͞b̴̧҉̶y̨͝s͏̢͟s͘͟.̡̢ ̕͜͡A̴͞w̡͜a͟͡k͜͞҉e̴̸͟n͢͡.̴̴̡͠

҉̨͘҉͟.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A perfect sacrifice for him. The most anyone could ask for. An offering of the one who was touched by Yog-Sothoth. The circle that painted around Dark Matter’s feet, the cavern he was in, he only now realized that he was in a sacrificial chamber, and Brother F was the sacrifice.

Dark Matter had aided them, and he didn’t know it, until it was too late. All that was left to do, was to curl up into a ball, sobbing while covered in various substances, wanting it to all be over.

He should have never looked into the future. He could have stopped it, by not getting involved.

* * *

Pulled into their own dream world, the dream world which is actuality a reality. The reality that is the creator. The reality everyone knows meanwhile, is nothing but a dream from the creator. Endless, cold voids without shape, the sound of creatures playing flutes, the echoing of a low hum.

One could not behold the realm, for they must be pulled into a different existence if he woke up, such was the law of nature for Outer Gods. A single man could not even scratch the surface if they had realized what they were in, their life being nothing but a dream of one god’s amusement. Such was the case with him, the hideous one, bubbling throughout infinity.

Wish stood there, with no Yog-Sothoth in sight, her grandson close by, as the chuckling of Yog could be heard. He was somewhere, but nowhere to be seen. She was not even sure if it was Wizard that was actually by her right now. She was alone, and Wish could not afford to move away from the boy in her arms, not with Yog-Sothoth tormenting her from afar.

Devil was still cornered by the Great Old Ones, within their spirit. His body was a vegetable, unable to assert his dominance. He truly was a liar after all, unable to do… what was it that he promised? What he made others believe? Devil could not recall it, as Hastur the Unspeakable held him in a cold, slimy grip, Tsathoggua preparing to swallow him slowly.

Hanzo and Mizuchi Woman had been holding on to each other, unaware that their beastly ally had gone on a violent rampage throughout the space. The most they had was each other, though the both of them could not tell if the other was really there or not. Like one was ready to run away from the other at any given moment.

Dark Matter remained in his ball of hatred, continuing to curse himself for being the cause of all of this at the end of the day, wanting to just get away from it all, he got up and started running. He ran away from his problems, his guilt, and admitting his faults. It was much easier to flee through the universal void, then to turn around, go back, and face yourself.

 

 

Lala woke up, to see the world tear itself asunder.

It was time to stop being a child. This somehow, was reality, even though she did not want to face it. She had to move forward, even if she didn’t know what lied ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here, you all thought it was going to be Lala that fought Brother F, huh?
> 
> Nah, I planned it from the start that Dark Matter would fight him. Lala has a different purpose in all of this, if the end of this chapter was any indication.
> 
> I thought of making Brother F use more chants, but at the end of the day, it would be too predictable, and Dark Matter would learn that Brother F uses "not knowing what happens" to an advantage. So the best option is to do something he wouldn't expect as a counter.
> 
> … I had to stick my fingers in my own mouth to hold my tongue down, just to imagine what it would be like to speak with no tongue. :L


	17. The Creator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blind Idiot God.

Even now, Lala had trouble understanding was was going on. All that she knew, was that the Deep Circle had won, in some way.

What was this place? Was it an eternal punishment, or paradise? She had no idea what the answer to that question was, until Lala began seeing the shining light peak through. The dark, clouded void began disappearing, the golden glow eating it away. Even though it was nothing but an endless chasm, it gained walls covered in glitter, like stars in the sky, lighting the universe beautifully.

Lala blinked, the brightness making spots nearly appearing before her eyes as she was forced to adjust to it. The sky was pink, sunset making the clouds glow, the glitter winded around Lala like a whirlpool of beauty. Gorgeous floor tiles laid out before her, as abominations now took the form of an orchestra, their music echoing through the square. Why, it was something out of a fairytale.

Something so lovely was too good to be true. Lala was not fooled, not at this point. Despite the land promising of milk and honey, Lala left it behind and continued moving, only to find more of the sweet dream laid out in front of her. Hedges covered in flowers and berries, castles in the distance, people in carnival attire running around cheerfully—

“Lala, where are you going?” A voice called out to her.

It was the voice of a young male, deeper than what Lala’s mind immediately associated it with, indicating he might be around her age. That boy, and him alone, no one else. Lala lifted her eyes to the hills, seeing him there as he was during Fae’s demise. Headgear, cape, as well as the circlet around his forehead. His black hair contrasting with the golden setting. He smiled at her, the look of acknowledgment he had given back then, but was he truly there?

Camus. It was impossible, but there he stood. “I was wondering where you were, Lala. It’s truly wonderful to see you again after so long,” Camus said. “I haven’t seen you since kindergarten, was it? To reunite in a place such as this, I never thought it would happen.” He anticipated that Lala, being the kind of person she was, to force him into a tight embrace. Something Camus had always found a bit irritating to deal with.

But instead, Lala remained where she was, and didn’t do anything but stare at him so blankly. “Lala? Whatever is the matter? It’s only me, why do you look as if you had just seen a ghost?” Camus glanced around the area, seeing nothing out of the ordinary to him that could put Lala in such a state. He quietly approached her, holding his hand out in front of her, which only led to Lala backing away from him. “What’s wrong? You’re acting really strange, is everything okay?”

Not again, no. She wouldn’t fall for this kind of trick on her mind a second time. “You’re not real,” Lala answered, turning her back on the figment. Camus appeared shocked, and terribly offended, reaching out by jumping in front of Lala’s path.

“What in the world are you talking about!? I’m right here, how can I not be real?” Camus questioned, pointing his staff at Lala. “Is something wrong with your head? It’s not like you to be doing this at all, and it’s honestly a bit worrisome! Just tell me what happened, I’m here to listen if that’s what you need.”

She ignored him. If Lala just refused to acknowledge him, he would go away, surely. Camus was nothing more than a phantom made of magic, just like Fae had said. If anything, Lala could probably change this apparition's appearance with her magic, but she was not inclined to waste her strength. There was no point in having an imaginary person listen to her fears and worries, it would be just childish. She needed to find someone real.

“Why are you ignoring me? Lala,” Camus called out, more sternly this time. “Just say ‘hello’ at least, it’s the mature thing to do! If I did something wrong, you should tell me, I don’t need to be treated like a nuisance.” His words were neglected yet again, as he hurried, constantly making himself appear before Lala. He couldn’t let her leave, not when they hadn’t seen each other in forever.

He stammered over his words, trying to speak. “The truth is, Lala,” he trembled, “I’m sorry. I always ran away back then. I was so scared of you, because I felt embarrassed.” Camus confessed, catching up to her. “I didn’t know how to handle being admired in such a way. I was a child, and I wasn’t ready for it. Looking back on it, I regret being such a coward, because it made me feel like I had lost a friend for a long time. I’ve been wondering about you for years, please, can you forgive me for being so selfish?”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“Lala, you have given me complicated feelings over the years. I want to explore this place with a partner. I’m sorry, just say you forgive me.”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“Lala, I thought you always wanted it this way? What changed?”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“Just where are you going? Lala, you’re going to get lost if you go out on your own!”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“You need help surely, Lala, you can’t do this by yourself!”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“Well, that was wrong of me to say, maybe you can, but I’m just really worried about you. Is that so wrong? I don’t want to be separated from you again, try to understand!”

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“I’ll give you space if that’s what you really want, just, say something to me, please.”

 

  
No answer, Camus appeared and continued.

“Stop ignoring me. There’s nothing ahead, why aren’t you taking what I’m giving you? Isn’t this what you wanted? The boy with black hair in the cape? You can live happily with him. He’s yours, forever and ever. There’s nowhere else to go, just live in the enchanted life given to you!”

Camus…

Camus… Camus…

  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus

  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus             Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus             Camus

  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus

  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus             Camus  
Camus Camus Camus  
Camus             Camus

  
All Camus, calling out to her, calling her name, over and over, almost like a song. Lala, Lala, Lala.

And in reality, it was not Camus, as Lala could spot one from the rest of them. Brother F, amongst the crowd of Camus, like a glacier out in the vast sea. Cloaked once again, hiding amongst all Camus, Lala reached out for him instead as he tried to drift away further. The cloak stood out from the capes, Lala’s hands passing through each fake, coming front the paradise.

He had to hide, he had to run. Brother F was frightened of what could happen if he were captured. Lala was willing to face whatever unknowns he had, and was actively reaching out to him, rather than the familiarity of Camus, all calling out for Lala…

Lala Lala Lala Lala Lala  
Lala Lala  
Lala Lala Lala Lala Lala  
Lala Lala  
Lala Lala  
Lala Lala

The pleading for her stopped once Lala had managed to reach Brother F, grabbing at his cloak with a tight grip, hoping to halt his movements, which she did. The two remained still, as the golden lands began to fade away, being replaced by the wonders of the darkness just like before. Lala didn’t care, nor did she even notice it, as she was fully aware that it was all just made by the cultist.

“Why did you do this?” Lala demanded to know, refusing to loosen her grip. “What satisfaction do you get out of messing with me like that? Some sick sort of pleasure, or amusement!?” Her fingers tightened around the cloth, preparing to tear off his cloak again should she need to. Unlike before, Lala was no longer afraid to see his form underneath, as grotesque as it was. Brother F, on the other hand, was not willing to expose himself a second time.

Brother F did not face her, in the same way that Lala did not face the many Camus he had made just for the sorceress. “I asked earlier and it went ignored. It was what you wanted, yes? That boy, you wanted to see him again at your current stage in life, didn’t you? I was only giving you what you desired. To live happily ever after, with the boy you desired in your youth. Is that so wrong of me? To wish to see you happy?”

Letting go, Lala remained where she was, and so did Brother F. “No,” she answered, “I don’t want things that aren’t real, that are fake, that are all pretend. I wanted something real! Don’t you get it? No one is satisfied with a life that isn’t really there.” There was a more pressing topic on Lala’s mind as well. Considering how Brother F was going quiet, it was best to bring it up now. “How is it you knew about that part of my life anyway? You weren’t around when Fae told me that he was just an illusion, nor were you ever a part of my life until just recently, as much as I wish you never were!”

He slowly averted his gaze to where Lala was, before covering up his face a bit more. “It is not I who can understand your wants and needs, but rather, the residents of the outer universe. When you came to the true world, they said your youthful dreams could be a reality, just to pacify you, and keep you here as long as they needed to.” Lightly wobbling, Brother F turned, still facing the floor rather than Lala herself. “They and I, wish for you to dream, sweet dreams, and stay away from reality a bit longer, so no harm can be done, and the creator can help reimagine everything.” The Silver Key was notably no longer around his neck, meaning that he lost it somewhere down the line. Surely, Brother F was now feeling weaker than he did previously, and it showed with how he was being more distant.

“Keep talking, tell me everything.”

“But you won’t understand it,” Brother F pointed out to her, “no one does, it’s the reason why people fear the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods. Most go insane just from looking at Cthulhu. Do you not see? I can’t speak, because no one can handle the truth, the reality, which is why I had to mask it for you. It is what they had requested, I cannot stand to see you lose your sanity like everyone else who realizes what life really is.”

“You’re wrong,” Lala retorted, “the only way one can grow, is if they listen and accept the circumstances. Even if it’s hard to swallow, I will sit here and try to understand, what the hell is going on, and just who you are!?” Grabbing him by the shoulders, Lala shook him around violently, watching him squirm in worry. “It’s not me that’s afraid of things they don’t know or understand, it’s you, you’re afraid!”

The hood fell down, and Lala was shocked, but for a different reason.

She had expected the grotesque face, covered in eyes, mouths, and various tendrils like she had the last time. This part of Brother F was not there. Perhaps it was because he did not carry the Silver Key, or maybe it was because he was in this bizarre realm, but this appeared to be a completely different person.

A young, dainty man, only a bit older than Lala it seemed. His eyes were tired, his hair was dark, and his skin was dreadfully pale and he appeared to be thin under the cloak. His gaze met Lala’s, and he tried to look away from her, forcing himself to cover back up, but he was stopped by Lala.

“I said, who are you?” She questioned, holding his wrist and twisting it. The air was dry, Brother F had nowhere to run, as he was being cornered in his own sanctuary. His lips trembled, as words came out of his mouth, quietly.

 

“Francis,” he muttered, “Brother Francis.”

Francis…

Just hearing his name began to melt the fears created by lack of knowledge, Lala no longer felt so afraid, knowing that it was just as he said to her before. Francis, was a human, who had transformed himself upon becoming a cultist. Just knowing his name and seeing what he originally was, made him nowhere as frightening as he was to Lala before. She let go of his wrist, allowing him to try and cover his face again. However, Francis knew that it was pointless now, as he allowed his weak self to be seen.

“My name is Francis,” he continued, “my only family was Yog-Sothoth, as he was the only one who actually wanted me, and called out to me. I kept reaching for this, the dream world, all my life, for the only thing in life that’s just as sweet are the strawberries I grew and fed upon. But why does it all matter to you? Why should I be so significant, beyond giving your teacher’s life to the Great Old Ones?”

“Because,” Lala answered, “understanding makes things less intimidating. I said it, and so did you, just moments ago. I can’t be scared of you, if I know who or what you are. Now tell me, who is the creator? What the hell is your end game to all of this!?”

He spaced out for a good minute before collecting his thoughts. Francis was not sure if he could speak, despite Lala’s constant demands. It would be a weight on any man’s mind, one that could crush anyone’s feelings towards existence. He didn’t want to see her like that, since Fae requested that she be unharmed, physically and mentally, she had to be spared.

Of course, Francis knew he was making excuses for himself, just so he could try to understand his actions. He hadn’t a clue about how infatuation worked, and it continued, even now, that feeling where he was burning away on the inside. “If you must pressure me so, then I will be honest. I cannot protect everyone’s mind from the truth, and hopefully, it will not do damage to you.” Raising his hand to where the false castle once was, Francis began explaining to her.

“At the center of the ultimate chaos, the creator, Azathoth sits in his throne. Long ago, I had signed the book with my own blood and veins to take the name Brother F, where I was drifted and spirited to the blind idiot. There, I had learned what was reality, and what was fiction. The world you had known and called home, your entire existence, was nothing more than a mere dream. Your entire world was just Azathoth’s imagination. But with my sacrifice, and Yog-Sothoth’s plan, we have decided to move humanity to another level. You are not suffering, because you are human. When you enjoy your world here, you will be moved to a new fantasy land by Azathoth, where your purpose will be purely to worship, without any fear of selfish monsters.

“Cthulhu and the other Great Old Ones, as well as various, higher beings that once hid themselves, will then blossom into the world you knew as yours, reclaiming it back. You and humanity will view them as gods, and the only gods that matter, and pray to keep things as they are. You will live in a world with no threats, only joy, no suffering to be had. Everyone would follow the same cause, which is to please all who are connected to Azathoth.”

Azathoth, it was truly a hideous, awful name, which made Lala shudder from each mention of it. “Most go insane from the mere mention of him, but because we are not in the dream, but the reality, you do not suffer from self-questioning as badly. You are handling this quite well, in fact.” Francis sighed, pitying the fact that Lala was truly the braver one in this scenario.

“Why do you want this?” Lala asked. “Why do you want to stay here?”

“I told you, no one will have to suffer—”

“That’s a part of life!” Lala spat. “I don’t like it, but the bad must be balanced with the good. You call this reality, but you just want to create a world where nothing bad ever happens and everyone has a little hive mind for their gods? That’s hardly noble, and it feels more like you’re selfishly trying to hide from all the bad that happened, so you can be in a little dream world yourself!”

Francis went silent, his eyes wide open in pure shock. “You never bothered to put your faith in people, is that right? You’ve never given anyone a chance, and so you turned your trust to this kind of thing. You used it to just hide in the sweet, good things, because you were scared of things you didn’t get, like simple empathy!” Lala stepped back, adjusting her armor. “Well, guess what? I’ve put my good faith in others, I’m facing things I don’t know, thanks to you. I’m afraid, but I will be courageous enough to see it through, and I’ll even meet this creator if I have to.”

He winced at the last part, attempting to reach out to Lala. “Azathoth? No one can comprehend his form, and no one can navigate their way to find him.” Francis said that, and yet, he wondered why the Outer Gods warned him about keeping Lala confined to one space. It wasn’t just because she was a useful human, was it? She didn’t deserve to suffer like those monsters, yes, but was there more?

Illusion magic.

Francis should have thought about it sooner. He didn’t know how that would work, but surely, it had something to do with her power. Lala was the only one with illusion spells that remained, as Fae and Fudoushi had been disposed of. “You are ridiculous, thinking you can face him. The only way to bring back your false home, is if he is put back to sleep before the arrangements can be made. There is also one more thing, mainly regarding Yog-Sothoth and Nyarlathotep—”

One last time, Lala shot a glare at him, making Francis freeze in his shoes. “I am doing this no matter what,” Lala murmured, “I’m going to force you to see the good and the bad in life, I’ll make you give people a chance, you’ll stop hiding in your dreams whether you like it or not.” She was finished speaking, then parted ways from Francis, knowing exactly what she had to do.

Remaining there, Francis felt his hands quiver. He had never felt this way before, and it scared him. As always, he was captivated, and horrified at what he was feeling. Such unfamiliar emotions, piled with the fear of being hated by someone Francis was so infatuated with. He knew it was hopeless, and he tried to give her Camus, just to soothe her own needs. It frightened him so badly when she came for him instead of Camus.

Love, it scared him so badly. He knew nothing about Lala other than her being a sorceress, talented with a rare type of magic. Francis only learned about Camus not too long ago, but it he still felt so unfamiliar with his emotions and Lala. He was the one that was scared of the unknown, in spite of being so familiar with outer beings, and he knew it.

Francis was afraid of love, empathy, things he did not understand. That’s all there was to it. He knew his affections could not be returned. Not unless he started over, and tried to be as courageous as Lala was.

* * *

He kept running away from his faults, running so far from it all, knowing just how badly he messed up, realizing that everything that happened up until now, was his own fault. He wanted to save the world, but it crumbled to pieces because of him. Dark Matter kept running, and running, as fast as his bony legs could take him. Denying his problems, filled with hatred and grudges, feeling like he had to do what he could just to redeem himself…

Dark Matter’s knees gave in finally, making him fall to the ground. He felt nothing but sorrow now, as he began losing the motivation to do anything at all. What was the point anymore? He had screwed so much up, and he deserved it. There was no need to keep running, and he knew it. The world was gone, and he didn’t know why he was still here, other than to be tormented by the beings that watched him.

Then, he saw her.

Wish, who continued kneeling over her grandson, not wanting to look at anything or speak to anyone. Her mind was being tormented, and it wouldn’t stop, no matter how hard she tried to push it away. It was like the world was punishing her for killing her friend, and being the witch that she is. Her heart was heavy, her eyes were watering, and she couldn’t utter a single word.

He couldn’t believe his eyes. Wish was there, mourning, and Dark Matter could feel something in him start to melt away. His denial, the hatred, the attempts, and slowly his sadness began fading. Dark Matter had not felt this way in years, and it was like when he knew Wish back when they were young. He was reminded of the many times she gave him that look of sympathy and pity, comforting him when Ikuri struggled with himself.

Carefully crawling towards Wish, Dark Matter stood behind her, unsure what he should do. The course of action he wanted to take, was to repay Wish for the many times she was there for him, even if she was the one who also killed him in the end. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this, though he was at her throat twice in his existence. Gently, Dark Matter began caressing her hair, stroking it softly, hoping that she would not snap or lash out at him.

Wish halted her crying, as she felt the familiar shape embrace her. “Wish,” he muttered softly, “don’t cry, I’m still here for you.” Dark Matter whispered, wrapping his arms around the witch. “I always have been, even with all the terrible things I have done.” He paused, wondering if she would say anything, but Dark Matter got no response.

“I’m sorry for everything, I still love you, my dear friend.”

Upon that, Wish began crying again, knowing exactly who was there, even if she couldn’t see him. Wish didn’t care about all the things Ikuri had done in the past, he was still her friend, and he was still there for her, even during the worst times such as this.

For a little bit, they would stay like this with the unconscious Wizard. At least, until they knew what it was they had to do.

* * *

Shaping the entire path to the throne, Lala decision to learn the magic of illusions was truly something to behold. She made the void appear to be a road of bricks, which led to the center of the outer universe. Even if it was not real, it was not like she would fall. It just created a mask so things were easier for the mind to handle.

Lala felt like she was floating, even though she was walking on the fake road. The sound of the flute became louder with each step, as she could hear the sounds of the creator lying ahead. The noises of her memories echoed in her mind as well, trying to stop her from going any further.

Barbara, Juju, Fae, Camus, Arle…

All people she knew, repeating in her head, but Lala knew it wasn’t real. Even with the falsified road, she knew what was a guide to make things easy, and what was trying to hinder her progress. It became even more obvious when the sounds of the flute had suddenly come to a stop, the player seeing Lala, and aware of just how far she came.

Tentacles, all wrapped around space and time. This was the center, the throne, where Azathoth sat, wide awake. Lala could not begin to handle the horrors before her eyes, and immediately put a mask over it with magic, no different than what she did for the path leading up to this. Closing her eyes, chanting a spell, Lala cast the magic not on the creator, but on herself, just so she could look at him.

Sitting on a real throne this time, thanks to the power of illusion, was a man. The multiple mouths became just one on a plain-looking face. It still constantly twisted and turned, as if trying to manipulate Lala’s mind back to see his true form, but to no avail. Tentacles covering his body, but his arms and legs were made out to be normal. He was the size of a planet, gigantic compared to Lala, which shouldn’t have been possible, but there he was.

His skin was dark, much like space itself, with a few, fiery tints to it resembling stars. The actual stars meanwhile, reflected off of his naked body, which was slimy and scaly, even with its humanoid look. The creator remained in his seat, grinning with hideously disgusting teeth that were sharp and crooked. The most peculiar feature though, not intended entirely by Lala, were his eyes.

Azathoth had no eyes. On the contrary, he had two extra mouths where eyes would be, making them empty sockets filled only with teeth and tongues. He blinked at Lala with these “eyes” before actually speaking to her with a raspy, but powerful voice.

“Welcome, mortal girl,” Azathoth greeted, “you have reached the center of chaos with your abilities, and have created an image of me, haven’t you? Most impressive. I imagined that this would happen, if you were able to see through everything else.” His size was intimidating, as was him calling out to Lala, but she didn’t back away from him.

This amused him further, to see that she did not immediately turn around after making it this far. “I assume it is your home that you wish to see return? As in, my dream realm? I had planned to replace it, with one where humanity does not have to fret as much. It benefits my family greatly.” He leaned back into his throne, made of bulbous tentacles. “To do that, you would have to send me back into a great slumber. The only thing capable of doing that, was the creation of your universe, millions of years ago.”

Lala nodded, with Azathoth remaining where he was. “Do as you wish, mortal girl, but the likes of me cannot be put to sleep so easily. I will twist your mind, should you bore me long enough. After all, your existence is nothing but a figment to me. Your life is truly not there, it is just stored so it can be moved, and my dreams can be put to use for my family.”

Swallowing hard, Lala’s hands trembled. Sweat was rolling down her forehead, and she didn’t know if she could really do it. But she had to try and get everything back, otherwise, Lala would be living as a slave to the Outer Gods, with none of her precious memories.

“Ongoku!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaah I was so excited to write this chapter, especially when I got sudden inspiration!
> 
> I um, don't have much to say here I suppose.
> 
> Yes, Dark Matter went through "the five stages of grief" if you couldn't tell.


	18. Cosmic Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uchu Jigoku (宇宙地獄)

“You know,” Azathoth started, “there are other realms I have created without any knowledge of doing so. But even with my awakening, they are far out of my reach for some reason.” He tapped his fingers on the arms of his throne, I was only made aware of these things years ago, in your time. Around the same time the boy had been gifted, when I was under the impression no one could contact me. I was incorrect though, as my family had gained the strength to go beyond, where I was.”

“Ongoku!” Lala cast again, which was brushed off.

Azathoth had no eyes, but the many things around him could see for him. Along with that was the taste of Lala’s presence, which spoke more than sight. “If I remember correctly, the realms out of my dream after creation, I believe your one friend, with the blue armor is there. But dreams change focus so much, that I honestly don’t remember. I just thought you should know that.” He waited for a reaction from the girl, but his statements continued to be brushed off.

“Ongoku!”

How irritating. This girl was ignoring things that he was saying. Such topics that surely, Lala would have taken interest in, and found important to her. She was so focused on lulling this god back to slumber, even though it did nothing to him. He may be an idiot by name, but this was just insulting to him, the fact that this ignorant child wasn’t paying attention. “You really intend on harming me, or knocking me back to my sleep? Continue this drivel, and you will find yourself in an ocean of the flesh that makes up you filthy humans.”

Azathoth was sounding a bit less welcoming, but Lala did not take the warning sign, continuing to wail magic against the blind idiot, hoping that his remark only meant that it was working, even if there were no visible signs of progress. He got up from his throne, leaning over Lala, putting his hands around her head. She didn’t know what was happening until the illusion began to fade, tentacles around her instead, followed by eyes and mouths appearing all over.

Lala fell over in shock, watching one of Azathoth’s many mouths close in, preparing to devour her. The teeth brushed against her hair and scalp, as well as her dress as Lala attempted to escape. Saliva, mucus, and blood began to soak her clothes, and she wasn’t even sure of the source, until she tumbled down, being pushed somewhere tight, and warm, smelling horrible. It was like she was buried in piles of rotten meat, but Lala tried her hardest to not go insane. Not here, not at a time like this.

Touching what was around her, it was too dark to see anything, but Lala could feel something round and wet with some small vein connected to it. An eyeball most likely, which made Lala instinctively pull her hand away, instead of reaching for the ceiling, so she could breathe again. The piles of meat were parting away, even with what little strength she had, Lala could barely see the light of whatever stars there were.

She began breathing heavily, unable to comprehend the vile sight once she could see her surroundings. Lala wanted to scream, but her voice was choking. Skinned bodies, nothing but muscle and organs piled all around her, rotting away, mixed with both moist and dryness. Lala could hear the sound of flies buzzing, she recognized the body of Fae, whose hair had been scalped off, her wounds not as fresh anymore, only recognizable with her facial features.

Azathoth devouring the dead, filling his large void, he knew that Lala would not last in there either. Her body became cold, her mind so close to breaking, until a soft voice called out to her.

_“Lala, it’s not real.”_

An illusion, one of Camus, this time materialized by herself rather than this twisted world. “Azathoth cannot create while he is awake. He is just pushing your mind to be broken. You must recreate what you saw before.” She hesitated, watching Camus floating above her, but Lala knew that her magic was speaking the truth somehow. Lala had just used a portion of it to keep calm, and now, she was going to use it to change things back to the way they were.

Chanting, she did exactly that, making the void turn back to a road with a throne at the end. Azathoth sat there, as if he had never moved in the first place, much less attempted to eat Lala. He could still feel her presence, but it was calming down at tremendous rates, something that was rather unexpected, considering what the blind idiot was capable of. “I thought for certain you would break, but I was incorrect in my assumption. You users of illusion magic do have a good grasp on sanity, or insanity, whatever works. Are you going to calm down again for a few moments? Because we can continue our conversation—”

“I don’t want to listen to you,” Lala muttered, “bastard!”

Surprised, Azathoth scratched his face. “Using adult words against a god? You must think you’ve grown up, haven’t you?” Lala gritted her teeth, refusing to retort, as she needed a few minutes to recharge and recollect her mind. “I must admit, throughout the ordeal, you actually have matured. However, insults do not paint you in such a light. I suppose you are just emotionally overwhelmed. Please take your time to reconsider, and turn back. By then, a new world order will be created.” Azathoth sunk back into his throne, wondering if he should inflict another episode of terror onto Lala, just so he wouldn’t have to worry about it.

But, maybe terror wasn’t what she needed.

* * *

“Owch!”

Sitting up, Lala held her head, seeing that she had fallen off of her bed while she was sleeping. The sheets were all messy, as was her hair. Lala looked around her room, pretty as it always was, decorated with gold, family trinkets. The jewelry box from her mother was still there on top of the dresser, wide open like how she left it last night.

“A dream?” She muttered to herself. “That felt so real, how long have I been asleep?” Lala glanced outside her window, looking at the sundial in her backyard. It was only an hour before noon, so getting up was probably a good idea right about now. “I don’t even remember what I did… I guess I was up studying all night for school. All of that really was a dream, huh? It felt so real though.”

Exiting her room, she saw everything in her house was the same. All was in place, her parents probably left, and would most likely return around evening like always. Lala walked outside to see the sky, beautifully blue, with the sun shining brightly like it was any other day. She could not recall if today was the weekend or not even, like the memory of the days had been completely wiped from her.

Surely if someone asked the next day, Lala could make the excuse that she was sick with nightmares. That technically did count, didn’t it? She glanced at the calendar back in her house, confirming that today was Sunday. There was no need to go to school after all, but Lala thought it would still be for the best to go outside and confirm everything.

Undressing her pajamas, Lala took a good minute to find her favorite weekend dress, it being nowhere in sight. Irritated, she slipped on her usual red attire with the white piece of armor. It was better to be safe than sorry after all. Lala left her home, making sure to lock the door and take the key with her as she went out.

Nothing out of the ordinary. Several children in the Magician’s Village were running around, enjoying their day, most likely making the best of it before the weekend was over. Walking on the path she remembered by heart, Lala saw Barbara, being her usual, crabby self, scolding children who were running past her house. She was the same as always, nothing had changed there. Not too far off was Miss Fae, sitting outside under a tree, reading a book in the nice weather. She waved hello to Lala, who politely waved back, as Lala continued to the magic school, wondering if anything would be different.

A gentle breeze brushed Lala’s hair, she could see the tree branches and leaves lightly shaking, the sweet scent of outdoor nature filling her lungs. She was stuck in that nightmare for so long, that Lala had almost forgotten what it was like. Maybe once Lala got out of her morning funk, she would go out to have breakfast for a change. After all, the world was a gift right now. Things could be so much worse, and this was the gorgeous side of life she was in, not the nightmare.

“Lala!” A voice called out to her, catching up to the blonde sorceress as she kept making her way to the school. “Wait up a moment!”

She turned around, mouth hanging open, Arle Nadja ran straight towards her, as did Camus. Lala wanted to rub her eyes, but then remembered that everything which had happened was just in that awful dream. Things never changed this much like she thought. Camus was here, Arle didn’t go missing, she was just adventuring. Lala sighed in relief, knowing that she was in a safe world.

“Lala, how have you been?” Arle asked, Carbuncle notably hanging on her shoulder like always. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? I was afraid I would never see you again!” Suddenly hugging Lala, Arle was smiling and laughing, just like she would in the younger days. Camus just watched close by, happy to see the friends reunite. He had no idea what sort of nightmares Lala had, and neither did Arle, so it was best that they were all left unspoken of. Lala wouldn’t want them to think she was weird if she told them about it anyway.

This wasn’t the time for an existential crisis, Lala shouldn’t have been acting so awkward around them. “Great! What about you, Arle? It was like you suddenly dropped off after a while, you know? Just what in the world happened? Last I heard, you were playing Puyo with monsters.” Arle laughed in response, rubbing the back of her head like she was embarrassed.

“You’re not going to believe me if I told you,” Arle replied, Carbuncle making happy noises to accompany her statement.

“Arle, I’ll believe anything, trust me.” Especially considering the dreams Lala had, she was willing to listen to things a little more out there. So long as they didn’t involve outer beings. Just how did that all start anyway? When did it start? Just a couple of days after Miss Fae gave her those studies, she went missing, Lala heard that noise waking her up…

Why was she still thinking about it? It was just a dream. A thud, which led to the events spiraling into lucid madness. “I was playing Puyo and it, well, somehow sent me to somewhere new, like a completely different realm!” Arle explained, Lala trying to pay attention to her while also collecting her thoughts.

In the nightmare…

Didn’t Barbara mention Fae looking for cultists, just before Lala went to bed that night? Well, maybe that part was the dream also, considering how Barbara stared off at the mention of Camus, yet he was real here…

Wasn’t he?

“Sounds crazy,” Lala replied, “but I believe it, at least, compared to other things. Arle, can I do something really quick? I don’t mean to interrupt or be rude.” Arle nodded in response, while Camus gave a curious look, wondering if something had come to Lala’s mind regarding this phenomenon.

Lala began chanting a spell, changing the visions around her back to the throne she was at. Arle and Camus didn’t even try to reach out to her, for they all vanished within a few seconds. The area that Lala saw in her nightmare was there once again. Azathoth sitting there, the spacey world around him, everything back in place.

She looked at him, and Azathoth could feel her actions, leaving him befuddled. “Now why would you want to return to such a nightmare? You woke up to everything being back to normal, your friends all back, but you’re bringing me back instead?” Lala glared at him, wishing it was physically possible to beat this god to a bloody pulp.

“There were too many questions rather than answers,” Lala replied, “and they didn’t add up. Why would I have so many clear, vivid memories of everything that happened? The order of the events don’t make sense, and neither does the fact you’re speaking. If you weren’t really there, you wouldn’t be talking, because I would not have made you do so!” She attempted to go up to the throne, knowing that Azathoth could put her through a lot of possible mental torture, but she didn’t care. “I’ve already fallen for that kind of trick, Francis indirectly showed me that I don’t want to live in a world where everything is all pretend, what makes you think that you could change that, even if you nearly had me fooled for a moment?”

Azathoth stirred in his throne, holding up one of his hands, fingers made up of tentacles. “I was not trying to fool you, just comfort you until the new world was ready. There, you could be happy. I was under the impression that it could keep you held down, since the visions of horror did nothing for you. Truly, you users of illusion magic are mentally prepared for anything.” Forcing her into the air somehow, Lala gasped, feeling the air choked out of her as Azathoth extended his fingers, coiling around her neck.

“It doesn’t matter how hard either of us try, we are at a stalemate. I can do nothing to your mind that you cannot turn around, but your spells are useless to me. Nothing has put me back to sleep, nothing except for the very creation of the planets and space around it.” He eventually dropped Lala, retracting his fingers and getting comfortable once more. “No one can help you, and I believe no one can see you the way I can. It is meaningless, so let me continue my creating within full consciousness.”

She was laughing.

Inexplicably, Lala just started having a small fit of laughter, even with the pain she was just in.

Azathoth was no mindreader. His knowledge was extensive, but he was still an idiot and he was even aware of that, Lala could realize that now more than ever. “You really are the most moronic of gods, aren’t you?” She struggled to get up, having trouble breathing because of how tightly he held her. “Illusion magic doesn’t just work on me. It’s meant to work on all who see what’s in front of them!” Azathoth’s many mouths began to hang open, since he had no eyes to be widened before Lala. “But I guess you’re right, it won’t help me, will it? I can’t put you back to sleep, but maybe someone else can!”

His discomfort became increasingly notable, a face which Azathoth thought was never be seen, a face he did not believe that he could make. The only thing that could put him back to rest, was a giant bang, similar to what had shaped the universe to what it was now, as it became his dreams. There were, in fact, sorcerers who knew how to use spells akin to a supernova. If they found him, and Lala made his form easy to digest, that would be the end of the plan.

The god had hoped to make use of all life in some way, disposing of others, but now it seemed like he may have to actually attempt murdering them, for this girl could actually—

He had never realized until now, but there was a beacon of light which Lala’s illusion magic created. Azathoth could not see it, but he must have felt something that was luring others to his position, because standing before him was a witch and a dark mage. These were the very two that Azathoth dreaded, and he had hoped that they would not see him, much less even try to find him.

But there wasn’t any way that they could understand his vulnerabilities, could they? Unless their presence had been there for long. Wish’s expression was hopeless, her eyes looking like she was ready to die, until they glowed a gentle tint of red. Not bright enough for Dark Matter to be taking control of her, but more like he was lending her a bit of his own power. Her face lit up slowly just from his assistance.

Azathoth tried to make himself the unseen, horrid, twisting mass, but Lala’s magic was strong enough to give them a good depiction. Dark Matter’s expression was one that was more determined than Wish’s, as he swayed his arm up, Wish did the same, hoisting up her staff with just one arm.

“You have existed before time and space had begun,” Dark Matter spoke, “you were born and formed this cosmic hell, but it ended the moment that the cosmos made an explosion, putting you to rest for millions of years. You were unaware of the life you created until the hideous spawns you had made had finally met you.” A magic sign formed around his hands, the same applied to Wish, their abilities combining. “It seems that the future really was correct, but it did not tell me how things would happen. If I had known—”

“It was you who had granted my awakening,” Azathoth pointed out, taking note of Lala standing by the two sorcerers regardless of who they were. “How could you even know who I was, or how I came to this world? My presence was unknown to you until recently, I believe, am I not wrong?” He questioned, towering over the group, knowing it was useless for him to try to warp minds anymore, since acting physically would be more beneficial to him.

“Yes, that was indeed my doing. It was a mistake, and I have made many mistakes in my life, and afterlife.” Dark Matter continued, refusing to back down. “But I have learned to own up to them, I will no longer run away from the things I had done wrong, and will instead try to fix them! I will only rest until I am certain that this future is prevented.” He chuckled at Azathoth, who was prepared to strike the two. “Oh yes, as for that question. You may not believe it, but an outer sorcerer told us. It seems that this is not something he agrees to either.”

Furious, Azathoth lunged various tendrils and limbs at the two, but Lala blocked them, willingly taking the hit for them, being grabbed by multiple tentacles and arms. Wish gasped, but Lala tried to brush it off like it was nothing. “I don’t know you two, but don’t worry about me, just do what you can, hurry!” She exclaimed, putting the pressure on them.

“Wish, I’m giving you as much of my power as I can. After this, I fear that I will have nothing more. Let us work together this one, last time, to bring things back as they were!” Dark Matter shouted, encouraging Wish to continue.

Crying out, Wish charged up her power. Their bodies began glowing, spheres spinning into the magic circle slowly. Azathoth proceeded to choke the air out of Lala, with more actual, murdering intent than previously. Her illusions would surely go away if she was dead, and the two sorcerers would then be unable to comprehend the god’s actual form.

“I will not allow this!” He roared, fingers digging into Lala’s skin, leaving bruises and bloody marks on Lala’s neck. “I have given you mercy, I have given you a life to live in happiness, I have given you a zone of comfort until I am finished, but you demand I must return to sleep after so long? Zkauba, you betray me, and tell these monsters the way!?” Azathoth screeched, pressing harder as he watched Lala’s eyes start to roll back. “I may be the blind idiot so they call me, but those who are truly blind and moronic are those who oppose what I gift!”

Lala felt like her bones were going to snap and that blood vessels were going to pop. Azathoth intended on that, even though he could do it painlessly, he was too furious to do it in such a way.

 

 

_“Do not hurt her.”_

The voice rang out to Azathoth and Lala, and only them, as Wish and Dark Matter were more focused on their spell.

_“It is over, my creator, let her go.”_

Azathoth dropped her, knowing that he was right. This girl was courageous, willing to face the horrifying reality, and never turning back in spite of all of it. He may be a god, but even he cannot change the future, nor should he lash out at someone for being so brave, going through so much mental torment, to the point where meeting the blind, idiot god meant nothing to her anymore.

He laughed one last time, knowing what was coming next.

“I give up, do as you may, sorcerers.”

With no hesitation, Wish and Dark Matter complied.

“Big Bang!”

* * *

Zkauba, the wizard, glanced at Brother Francis, sitting right next to him as they witnessed the small light of an explosion in the distance. At first, Zkauba was unsure about giving Dark Matter and Wish the information of Azathoth’s slumber, but he then realized that this was never the exact outcome he wanted. Had Zkauba known that reality would shatter, and that humanity would be made into slaves for the Great Old Ones, rather than separated from outer kind as he hoped, he would have never gotten himself roped up in it.

He was selfish, and Zkauba realized that now. Some humans, while still hideous, had some levels of intelligence and bravery. When Francis told him about how Lala, the same girl who had defeated him, was going to confront Azathoth, the Yaddithian wizard gained an inch of respect for the girl. At first, he figured she was a fool, until Francis explained it to him further.

“You humans are truly a peculiar species. I truly wished to despise you, Brother F, but the many strange things about you made me wonder if you were even human to begin with. It seems that you were, but I had trouble understanding it.” Zkauba spoke, watching the light get bigger. “Right now, I have a mutual respect for you it seems. If only all the details of what the Outer Gods wanted were given to me sooner, then I could have stopped you from being such an imbecile.”

Francis got up, ignoring everything Zkauba had said.

“No,” he murmured, “I want to go back.”

“What do you mean?” Zkauba questioned.

“I want to go back to the world I was born in. I want to be like Lala. I know everything was miserable and bitter, but I don’t want the sweet strawberries here. I now realize that the taste of the dreams beyond the gate left more to be desired. I can have whatever I like when I ascend, but the one thing I will not have, is a happy life. I will never get to know that girl more. I can’t feel anything if I’m alone as always, refusing to show or understand feelings of other people. Zkauba, the world is going to turn back to normal, but I will not be able to return, will I?” He asked tearfully.

Pondering it, Zkauba got up from where he was sitting. “That is not true, you can return.” Holding out his hand, Zkauba couldn’t believe what he was about to do. Possibly the strangest form of respect he had made, especially with a human. “You feel desire, it is strong, and it makes you want to correct what you have done. Brother F, you may no longer hold the Silver Key, but you can free me of my other half.” The wizard waiting for Francis to touch his hand, a gentle glow forming around them.

“I will give you the life that I have,” Zkauba said.

“What?” Francis interjected. “No! You can’t, your life is valuable as a wizard of your kind, Zkauba. I cannot handle the idea of you forcing yourself out of existence, into permanent ascension, just to have me live in that world again.” He tried to pull away, but it was too late, as Zkauba refused to let go, his grasp being tight.

“I cannot suffer through sharing this body with a human any longer. To separate us, you will have my life force as well as that man’s, so you can return and start over.” He finally let go, but his body began to fade away, as did the area around them. Azathoth’s slumber was slowly catching up to all of them. Zkauba would remain in a heaven, just past the gate, and this boy would get to live to see another day in the world.

There was no way Francis could carry that.

He could forgive himself even less now.

 

 

“You will no longer feel guilty for what was done throughout your existence, I promise you that, child.”

 

  
The cosmic hell; Azathoth’s realm, was no longer in sight.

Everything would return to the dust and sand, the wind and oceans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It all comes tumbling down.
> 
> One chapter left, the closure.


	19. Late Lament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short ending.
> 
> … Part of me wishes I could add one more because 19 chapters feels weird. But maybe see this as an epilogue instead. I do not know.
> 
> I thank you for reading this all the way through.

Desolate.

Most familiar faces were gone from this world for good, thanks to the events that had transpired. The world was not the same as it was before it all started, as it appears civilization was almost swept away by the ocean, leaving nothing but patches of what was behind. Wish could only stare at it for so long, as she lied there on the sand, clutching onto her grandson with one arm, while her other hand was being held by something bony.

Eventually, the feeling of comfort from the hand went away. The touch from an old friend, gone. Wish shuddered, wondering why she felt so alone again. She could not understand why her dear friend wasn’t holding on any longer, as if he had to go. There was the sound of something, or someone dropping to the ground. Bones crackling together as it happened, making Wish’s eyes open a little more.

Trembling, refusing to let go of her grandson, Wish clutched him in her chest, slowly getting up from where she was lying. Only a few feet far from her, was a skeleton robed in purple, belonging to a man who had fought her, controlled her, and yet helped her in spite of all that had happened. The man that had once been her best friend, and still was after all of these years, able to keep himself alive, even if it was out of a pure grudge.

But he had left now. Wish carefully turned over the skeleton, only for it to be limp. No longer did he have the red glow in his one eye, for Dark Matter’s corpse was completely lifeless. Wish took a long look at him, just to see his face for one last time. The bandages on him were coming undone, partly revealing the dead skin and strands of hair, which somehow still remained on the skeleton for fifty years.

Ikuri was gone. He had fulfilled his purpose, using up his dark power to help Wish. Now that the deed was done, Ikrui saw no need to stay in the world any longer, as there were no grudges left to bear. Wish felt her vision turn blurry as she began connecting the dots all together, regretting the fact that she didn’t spend enough time with Ikuri when they were young, not helping him with his fears for the future, which would inevitably become reality. They truly were star-crossed, if not in the way that Ikuri would have ever predicted.

Her daughter, her husband, her friend, her granddaughter, and now Ikuri.

Everything that Wish held close and dear to her, with the exception of her grandson, was no longer in her life. They were all gone, leaving Wish with no other companions in her life. She was just about ready to break down and cry once again, wondering just what she had to live for, feeling that this was no one’s fault but her own for just sitting idly by.

A soft noise could be heard. Wish looked at the ground, seeing Tenori Zoh, his feet soaked in blood, somehow able to escape Clayton’s demise. The small elephant reached for Wish, shaking in fear, like he had just been through Hell and back.

There was no need to mourn, Wish realized. For the memories of all that was great in her life, were still there, even if they came to a tragic end. Life would go on, and she was not alone.

This was not the end. This was merely the beginning, for she was to experience both sorrow and joy, like everyone else in the world. 

* * *

 

A field, a garden, is where Lala woke.

Nature was slowly returning to the world, and she watched it as it grew. She was absolutely silent as she watched the flowers grow all around her. Trees of strawberries and bushes of pokeweed, beautifully blossoming in the presence of Lala, like just her existence alone was bringing them life. Lala had to make certain that once again, this was not a false vision created by the blind idiot, for it felt almost surreal to be seeing something so gorgeous after all she had been through.

Her thoughts were confirmed with magic, as they did not create the illusion of the god she had met. Lala was lightheaded, taking a moment to stand up straight, before traveling to a higher ground. Following the path of pokeweed, she reached a cliff, high enough to most likely cause injury or death, should Lala choose to jump off. The suffering and madness could end, but she was not cowardly enough to dare attempt such a thing.

She did not go through all of these ordeals for nothing, for Lala was choosing to live on as a brave heroine, just like Arle.

Just beyond the cliff, Lala could see an ocean’s shoreline, nothing but sand and bodies laid near the water. She would not have been surprised if they weren’t alive, but that was luckily not the case, as Lala witnessed the body of a devil rise from the sand, followed by a skeleton and a man with a bag over his head. A red frog stumbled up from his back, glancing at the snail that was close by.

A ninja was running around frantically, after passing a beast which was somehow familiar to Lala, he knelt before the body of a girl with dragon traits, shaking her to wake up. She managed to stir in response, which led to the ninja embracing her body warmly. Lala was not aware that monsters could feel this kind of compassion, making her wonder just what made them different from people to begin with.

In the water, Lala saw a tall, slender man with a blackened body. He wore the crown of a pharaoh, but Lala could not get a better look than that. She blinked before she could stare him any longer, making the man disappear in an instant, like he was just a hallucination. Lala stood there thinking about it, making herself feel uneasy before finally turning back around.

Heading back where she came, Lala followed the trees of strawberry this time, the sweet scent making her feel so calm. She wanted to feel sick, knowing who it reminded her of, but perhaps Lala was starting to appreciate the balance of sweetness and poisons of life more, for her journey had been an experience that would stick with her forever.

On the other side of the forestry, to expected to find nothing but life growing, and Lala did, but not in the particular way as expected. She halted her movements, seeing a body laying there amongst the flowers.

It belonged to a boy, one she had met in that void of a universe, and had seen many times before in different form. The young man who caused all of this to happen, he who intentionally threw the world into this state, was laying there unconscious. Lala tightly clenched her fist, staring down at him, wanting to drag him over to the cliff and throw him down, hoping he will snap his neck on the fall.

But that was wrong. That would make her look like she had learned nothing. Even then, Lala got on her knees, examining the young man. He was still in that robe, which had been used for sacrifices in the past. Raising his arm up, the sleeve of the robe revealed his wrist, making Lala’s blood turn cold at what she saw there.

Terrible, deep scars, which were still healing around his wrists, down to where the rest of his veins were. It was the same wrist she had grabbed in that cosmic hell too, making her nearly squirm. Lala appeared almost pale when she saw this, putting the young man’s arms back to his sides. Never in her life had she seen someone inflict self-harm, especially in such a drastic manner. Lala knew that the once-cultist had despised his life, and tried to bury himself in dreams to evade everything else, but seeing how far he went only led to pity for him.

She sat there and waited. Time had passed, more flowers bloomed, strawberries dropped from the tree they were on.

Yet it was only an hour that had gone by.

Plucking one of the strawberries close by, Lala felt no other option but to pop it into her mouth, and savor the sweet taste as the juices filled her taste buds. As she gently chewed the fruit, Lala started to hear the body shifting around. Plucking another one, Lala looked back at the young man. He was still painfully thin and pale, but his dark hair reminded Lala of somebody that she may have known.

He woke up. Groggy and tired, unable to say anything. The young man saw Lala but still did not talk. They were silent to each other for two minutes, nothing but an awkward feeling for the boy, as Lala finally spoke up first.

“Say something.”

Gasping in response, he didn’t realize he was capable of speech. His throat felt dry, voice sounding painfully scratchy as the young man began to speak. “Ah,” he choked on his words, deciding to point at the strawberry in Lala’s palm.

She sighed, giving to him, watching the boy examine the fruit before digging his nails into it, peeling part of it, making juices leak out. He licked it, as if uncertain as to what it was. “It’s safe, you can eat it,” Lala stated, which was immediately followed by the boy slowly chewing the strawberry, taking his time to devour it and moisten his throat.

“Who,” he was still hesitant, having a quiet voice that was difficult to hear. “Who are you?” She was confused even further to hear this, the boy appeared to not remember her, even though the two had gone through so much, and learned so much about one another despite being on opposing sides.

Did he lose his memories?

“Lala,” she answered, “what is your name?”

Once again, he stopped, holding his head.

“What is my name?”

Lala’s assumption was correct. The boy had indeed, forgotten everything that had happened, even though the scars were still on his arms. In the end though, Lala realized that this was for the better, as the boy would only have more problems if he remembered all that he had done, and what his whole life was until now. He was reborn, the person he was before coming close to the Necronomicon and the Silver Key, knowing nothing about life, as whatever examples he walked through, would give him his views of the world.

He had all the time in the world, and so did Lala. She was going to set the right path for him, so he could understand the good and bad, just as he was meant to.

“Your name is Francis, okay?” She held her hand out, helping the young man to his feet. “You’re a magician,” Lala explained further, “just like me, so I’m going to teach you what I can. Think of me as a mentor, I’ll show you everything, and you won’t have to be afraid if you know all about the world, as well as what lies in it.”

The smile that Lala gave him was enough to melt him, Francis felt his heart being warmed, his face lighting up as he gave a gentle smile back to her, one which Lala had not seen before. He definitely wasn’t afraid of Lala, now that he was acquainted, unlike his past self.

She held his hand, and guided him, for they would search the world as it slowly returned to normal. Perhaps it was time Lala herself became a teacher, even if her school was gone, she would find a way to be a mentor for Francis, now that he could start over.

From Fù Zhé teaching Fae, and then following her to his demise, in spite of the atrocities committed.

Ikuri’s friendship with Wish, helping her in a time of need, even though she had killed him for his corruption.

And now, Francis’s admiration to Lala, willing to follow in her courageous steps, with no memory of how much damage he had done before.

 

The world could be forgiving, and cruel.   
The sweet strawberries, and the poisonous pokeweed.  
The painful cuts against the skin, agonizing opening of the wounds.  
The kiss of someone so lovely, having the appearance and heart of an angel.  
The depressing past, the bright future which could be shaped.  
The sorrowful loss of longtime friends and family, but wondrous memories remaining.  
The love first appearing unrequited, until feelings are made clear.  
The dreams and nightmares, whether they be reality or part of the mind.  
The life and death, cruelty and kindness, joy and sadness, ecstasy and pain.  
The beginning and end of every story.

 

Such a thing is what was so amusing to Nyarlathotep.

 

 

 

 

> _“Breathe deep the gathering gloom,_   
>  _Watch lights fade from every room._   
>  _Bedsitter people look back and lament,_   
>  _Another day's useless energy spent._   
>  _Impassioned lovers wrestle as one,_   
>  _Lonely man cries for love and has none._   
>  _New mother picks up and suckles her son,_   
>  _Senior citizens wish they were young._   
>  _Cold hearted orb that rules the night,_   
>  _Removes the colors from our sight._   
>  _Red is grey and yellow white._   
>  _But we decide which is right._   
>  _And which is an illusion?”_
> 
> _— “Late Lament”, 1967_

 

  
**THE END**

_**Dedicated to all fans of Madou Monogatari.** _

_**Thank you for taking your time to read this tale, poured with feelings and thoughts of my own, and love for this magical franchise.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so many things build this fan-fic…
> 
> Obviously, there was Goku Madou Monogatari, an extremely grim fan-game, as well as Lovecraftian creations.
> 
> But then while writing, I ended up changing my notes, for I did not want this to be mindless gore. I wanted a story in touch with my feelings, since Madou Monogatari and Puyo Puyo are very dear to me, shaping me to the kind of person I was throughout middle school and high school.
> 
> I suffered from depression a lot in my life, especially through school when Madou Monogatari and Puyo Puyo were two of the solaces of comfort I had, so I put many of my feelings there. The need where I always feel like I want to just stop, or just go to sleep forever, but know well that there are so many things in life I would miss out on if I did.
> 
> When I was writing this, Petscop was at high popularity, so that inspired me to add to Brother Francis.
> 
> I was also watching Neon Genesis Evangelion over the summer, and to that extent, the movie, which gave me a feeling I would not forget. It was the feeling I wanted this story to share, as I had a clear view of what I wanted, not just for this story, but for me.
> 
> I love the song "Nights in White Satin", and the poem that comes at the end of the song. It is truly beautiful, and I often listened to it while writing the emotionally powerful scenes. I believe there is no other song like it, and I don't know why… I wanted to put the "Late Lament" in, even if it was unnecessary.
> 
> The dark, classic side of Madou Monogatari is… special to me, so I wanted to write something special to fill the hole left behind in the series.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it, for I enjoyed writing it, as it helped me explore myself.


End file.
